Dec. 8, 2011
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A big second half sparked off a strong defensive effort, and Dominique Conners' season-high 22 points, the University of San Diego women's basketball team (6-2) picked up a 56-45 win over cross-town rival San Diego State University (4-4) Thursday evening in a non-conference game at Viejas Arena.
Conners led all players with her season-high 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds and recording four steals. Both Morgan Woodrow and Amy Kame had 10 points apiece to round off the USD scoring attack. Izzy Chilcott also had a huge game for the Toreros, as she recorded 10 rebounds and helped hold the normally potent SDSU offense in check all game long. As a team, USD shot .333 from the field, and was out rebounded for only the second time this season, 44-42.
"This was a big game for us, the city championship, and I am just so proud of this team," stated head coach Cindy Fisher. "I am really happy for our seniors, especially Dominique Conners, who is a local kid, and for her to go out like this is just awesome."
In the first half, the Toreros came out firing on all cylinders, as an Chilcott lay-up jump started a 7-2 San Diego run, that was capped on five straight points by Conners to give USD the early momentum with 17:14 to go. The Aztecs then responded with an 11-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 13-7 lead with 11:09 to go in the half, forcing USD into a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Felicia Wijenberg hit a lay-up to snap the run, but the Aztecs then got the next four points to take a 17-9 lead with 7:46 to go. After the media timeout, Conners went to the line and hit a pair of free throws to ignite a spark in the USD energy level, as USD then went on an 11-2 run to regain the lead at 21-19 with 6:07 to go. USD then continued to push forward and went on to take a 26-21 lead, but the Aztecs then closed out the half on a 7-2 run to knot the score up at 28-all.
In the second half, the first four minutes was a defensive struggle, as each team managed to score just one basket, with USD managing to get to the charity stripe to hit one free throw and take a 31-30 lead with 14:47 to go. A Kame free throw then sparked a 7-0 USD run to give USD a 38-30 lead with 8:31 to go. The Aztecs then began to chip away at the lead and pulled back to within two at 39-37, forcing the Toreros into a timeout with 6:26 to go.
A Conners free throw then sparked a 7-2 Torero run to give USD some breathing room and a 46-39 lead with 3:14 to go. USD was then able to fend off the last Aztec effort and eventually build up a 12-point lead at 55-43, before settling for the 56-45 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Sunday as they host the University of the Pacific in a non-conference game at 7 p.m. inside the friendly confines of the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
