Feb. 17, 2010

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOGAN, Utah - Down by 21 points in the first half, Utah State rallied to tie the score at 58-all with four and a half minutes left, but couldn't take the lead, getting edged by conference-leader Fresno State, 69-63, Wednesday evening in Western Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Wednesday was Utah State's annual Pink Zone game with the motto "Think Pink and Bleed Blue," promoting breast cancer awareness. The Aggie team wore pink shooting shirts, and had pink shoelaces, headbands and wrist bands. The USU spirit squad and the scoretable workers wore pink T-shirts as well and fans wearing pink got free admittance.

USU is now 12-13 overall and 4-8 in WAC action, while FS improves to 21-5 overall, remaining perfect in league play improving to 12-0. Wednesday was the Bulldogs' fifth-straight win over the Aggies, taking a 9-2 all-time series lead, with all 11 meetings coming as WAC foes.

Junior guard Amber White netted a career-high 27 points, draining a career-high three three-pointers and topping her previous mark of 25 in USU's season-opening win over Utah, as she now has both of the Aggies' 20-point games this season. White posted double-digits for the seventh-straight game, logging double-figures for the 13th time in 15 games and the 20th time this season.

White was the only USU player in double-figures, but junior guards LaCale Pringle-Buchanan and Alice Coddington posted nine points each, with Pringle-Buchanan scoring all nine of hers in the second half, as the Aggies rallied from a 38-24 halftime deficit.

Sophomore forward Banna Diop posted eight points and eight rebounds in just her third start this season. Pringle-Buchanan pulled down seven rebounds as USU out-rebounded FS, 42-36, as the Aggies are now 7-4 when having more rebounds than their opposition.

Fresno State had two players combine for 51 points as Jaleesa Ross netted 31 points and Hayley Munro posted 20 points, the only Bulldogs in double-digits. Ross pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Fresno State pulled away from a 6-4 score with a 10-0 run, capped by Ross at the 14:07 mark before White broke the drought with a three-pointer with 13:55 on the clock to pull USU within, 16-7. That would be the closest the Aggies would get in the first half, as the Bulldogs opened a 25-11 lead. FS had a 15-2 points off turnover advantage at that point and USU had 11 points and 12 turnovers.

After the Bulldogs opened a 36-15 lead, USU reeled off nine unanswered to close to 36-24, starting on a three-pointer by Coddington from the left wing at 3:52 and White capped the Aggie spurt with a layup at the 2:21 mark. Fresno State stopped the streak with a layup by Taja Edwards with 1:20 to play for a 38-24 Bulldog lead and that would remain the score going into halftime.

The 38 points allowed by the Aggies tied the season-high for points yielded in the half, matching the 38 by Louisiana Tech on Feb. 6.

USU bolted out of the gates, getting back-to-back three-pointers from Coddington and White from the right corner and left wing, respectively, to close the gap to 42-34 with 16:31 to go. A White jumper with 13:56 on the clock pulled USU within 46-39.

After the Bulldogs later took a 58-48 lead, the Aggies scored 10-straight points to knot the score at 58-all with 4:29 on the clock, the game's only tie and the only time that Fresno State didn't lead, completing the comeback with consecutive scoop layups from White and Pringle-Buchanan. The Bulldogs regained the lead with a three-pointer by Ross from the left wing with 3:17 to play. Munro hit a layup with 1:31 left for a 63-58 lead. White netted a pull-up jumper with 1:05 to go, pulling the Aggies within 63-60.

After Munro missed a pair of free throws, Pringle-Buchanan drained two free throws with 32.1 seconds remaining to close to 63-62, Munro hit a pair of shots from the free pitch stripe with 28.7 ticks to play. Diop missed a three-pointer from the top of the arc with 19 seconds remaining and Ross corralled the rebound and was fouled, hitting both free throws for a 67-62 lead. Pringle-Buchanan hit one-of-two at the charity stripe with 5.1 seconds to go before Munro netted two free throws with 2.0 seconds left to seal the victory.

Utah State was 24-of-59 (40.7 percent) field goal shooting, hitting 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) behind the three-point arc. USU was 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) at the free throw line.

Fresno State ended the night shooting 38.1 percent (24-of-63) from the field, hitting 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from three-point range. The Bulldogs were 9-of-10 at the charity stripe in the second half, including six-of-six in the final 27 seconds to keep the Aggies at bay, ending at 14-of-16 (87.5 percent).

After committing 15 turnovers in the first half, USU only recorded four miscues in the second stanza. The Aggie defense forced 14 Bulldog turnovers, with FS holding a 25-18 points off turnovers advantage, as Utah State had a 10-5 lead in the second half.

After an off weekend, USU heads to Las Cruces, N.M. on Tuesday, Feb. 23 to take on New Mexico State in a 7 p.m. tip-off. That will be the Aggies' final road game of the season as they return to the friendly confines of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for their last three regular-season games, taking on Idaho on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. USU then hosts Boise State on Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. before the regular-season finale on Saturday, March 3 against Hawai'i at 3 p.m., the first game of a doubleheader with the USU men, who will face New Mexico State.

Utah State continues its Aggie Incentive Plan which allow fans to earn points for attending women's basketball games. Aggie fans can accumulate points throughout the season and earn prizes like USU water bottles, clothing and a USU women's team autographed basketball. Attend as many USU women's basketball games as possible and accumulate points, for a chance to win great prizes!!

Upcoming Events
Point Breakdown for Each Game
2/27/10 vs. Idaho 3:00 p.m.- 2 points
Non-Conference Weekday Games - 10 points
Non-Conference Weekend Games - 4 points
Conference Weekday Games - 5 points
Conference Weekend Games - 2 points
Prizes for Points Accumulated
20 points - USU Water bottle
40 points - USU T-Shirt
60 points - USU Sweatshirt
80 points - USU Women's Team Autographed Basketball

For Utah State women's basketball ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305, or online 24 hours a day at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on the "buy/renew tickets" under the "tickets" drop down menu. -USU-