Feb. 22, 2004
Box Score
Story courtesy of the USF Sports Information Office
(San Francisco) - Senior forward Carey Sauer poured in a team-high 19 points to move into fifth place on the USF career scoring list as San Francisco fought off a determined San Diego team 63-61 Saturday night in West Coast Conference women's action at War Memorial Gym. The Lady Dons (10-15, 3-9 WCC) complete the season sweep against the Toreros (6-19, 1-11 WCC) and avoid going winless during league action at home for the first time in program history with the victory in the 2004 home finale.
Sauer finished the night with 1,416 career points, going 5-for-12 from the floor, while sophomore guard Jenni Jones added 10 points off the bench and USF would need every one of them against USD. Junior guard Toni Russell scored nine points, dished out seven assists and recorded three steals. Sophomore forward Jessie Preston added eight points and pulled down five rebounds in 20 minutes.
USF built a nine point lead, 23-14 with 5:21 remaining in the first half on a bucket by Jones, but the Toreros fought back, taking a two-point lead 29-27 with 50 seconds left. A Sauer lay-up in the closing seconds gave the Lady Dons a 31-29 halftime lead. The second half was a war with neither team holding a lead of more than five points in a second half featuring no fewer than nine lead changes. The Toreros led 59-58 with 2:16 left and scored another lay-up with four seconds left but a USD desperation three fell short as time expired.
Never a thing of beauty, the two teams combined for 48 personal fouls and 41 turnovers. USF squandered numerous opportunities to put the contest out of reach, converting on .622 (23-37) from the free throw line for the game, and missed 11 of their 29 second half attempts. The Lady Dons held a 33-30 rebound edge.
