San Jose, Calif.—Analyss Benally came off the bench to lead the San José State women's basketball team in scoring, but the Spartans could not hold off the two-time defending Mountain West champion Boise State in a 83-69 loss at The Event Center Saturday afternoon.
Benally led the Spartans with a career-best 17 points, her second consecutive double-digit scoring game and sixth of the season. She was 4-for-9 from the field including 4-of-7 from three-point range and was a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line.
Two other Spartans scored in double figures in the game – Raziya Potter with 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor and Cydni Lewis with 10 points as she was 3-for-4 from the floor including making her only three-point attempt of the game.
San José State fell behind 18-0 early to the Broncos as the Spartans missed their first eight shots from the field. A made Lewis free throw with 5:05 left in the first quarter gave SJSU the first point of the game. Benally then made a three for the first team made basketball at 4:43 to make the score 18-4. The Spartans used a 17-4 run to trail Boise State 22-17 at the end of the first quarter.
The Spartans then outscored Boise State, 21-17, in the second quarter, tying the game twice at 29-29 and 32-32. SJSU had a brief lead at 38-37 on a Fieme'a Hafoka jumper with 53 seconds left in the half. The Broncos made a layup with 23 second left to take a 39-38 lead into halftime.
The hot shooting followed San José State into the third quarter as the team scored seven of the first nine points of the quarter. The Spartans opened up a six-point lead at 47-41 on a Megan Anderson made three-pointer with 6:58 left in the quarter. The two teams then traded the lead, with the Spartans last lead of the game at 49-48 on a Danae Marquez jumper at 5:16. Boise State then went on a 16-4 the rest of the quarter to take a 64-53 lead after three quarters.
The Spartans got as close as nine points in the fourth quarter at 66-57, but Boise State extended the lead to as many as 17 points in their 83-69 win. Two Broncos scored 20 or more points - Braydey Hodgins with 21 and A'Shanti Coleman with 20. Jayde Christopher dished out 13 assists for Boise State.
San José State continues at home next Wednesday, February 13, as the team hosts New Mexico at 7 p.m., at The Event Center. Tickets are available at the door or by calling the Spartan Ticket Office at (408) 924-7589.
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