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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2006)--In a balanced offensive attack that saw four Cougars score in double figures, No. 18 BYU (21-3, 11-2) defeated San Diego State (14-10, 8-5) in an 18-point rout, 67-49, Wednesday evening in California. The Cougars are now an impressive 12-0 on the road.
San Diego played the Cougars even for the first four minutes of the game, tying the score at six points apiece. BYU than began to break away, scoring five straight points off a layup and free throw from Lauren Riley and another layup by Melinda Johnsen, giving BYU a seven-point lead, 17-10, with 10:53 remaining in the first half.
Michelle Strawberry cut the lead to four off a three pointer. BYU responded with back-to-back layups from Riley and a three pointer from Shawnee Slade to quickly extend the BYU advantage to eight, 21-13.
BYU's largest lead of the half came with 6:47 remaining in the half when Mallary Gillespie nailed a three pointer to give the Cougars a 27-16 lead.
Veronica Shaw helped the Aztecs by netting a jumper, followed by a three-point shot from Strawberry to cut the lead to six, 29-23. Gillespie came right down the floor and netted a three pointer to again extend the Cougar lead, allowing BYU to take a comfortable 34-25 lead into the half.
The Cougars opened up the second half on a 7-0 run off a three pointer from Ambrosia Anderson, a layup from Dani Kubik and another jumper from Anderson, giving BYU a 16-point lead, 41-25.
Kate Eveland and Strawberry then netted a three pointer and a layup, respectively, to cut the lead to 11 points with 17 minutes remaining in the game.
Desiree Johnson provided a spark for San Diego hitting back-to-back layups, but with 7:34 left in regulation Gillespie sank a three pointer to extend BYU's lead to 16, 57-41.
Strawberry hit a three point with 4:40 left in the game, but it was too little to late as the Cougars went on to win by 18 points.
San Diego State's Johnson lead all scorers with 19 points, while Strawberry chipped in 15.
Four Cougars scored in double figures with Anderson leading the way 17 points, followed by Gillespie with 13, Riley with 12 and Kubik with 10 points. Anderson and Kubik also grabbed 10 boards apiece on the night. The double double marks Anderson's 12th of her career and Kubik's first.
BYU shot 48 percent from the filed and 67 percent from the line, while the Aztecs shot 32 and 60 percent, respectively. The Cougars also earned an impressive 23 points from the bench. The Cougars head home on Saturday to face TCU in the Marriott Center at 2 p.m. Seniors Anderson, Nancy Seljaas and Laura Stratton will be recognized at the game.
