Final Box Score (PDF)

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State women's basketball (5-6) lost, 50-48, to Long Beach State (3-10) on Saturday in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
 
Junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy posted her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a career-high six steals, as well as three assists and one block. Senior guard Rachel Brewster also scored in double figures with 12 points.
 
The Aggies struggled from the floor to start the first quarter, with Brewster making the first field goal of the game at the 4:35 mark to cut LBSU's lead to two at 6-4. Another Brewster bucket and a Dufficy layup gave USU an 8-6 lead with 2:32 on the clock. Long Beach State would score the final two buckets of the quarter to lead, 10-8.
 
Freshman guard Steph Gorman knocked down a triple to give the Aggies the 11-10 lead with 9:41 to go in the second quarter. After LBSU took a 15-12 lead, sophomore guard Emmie Harris hit a trey of her own to tie it up, 15-15, with 6:55 to play. That would be the last field goal for Utah State in the quarter, and after a pair of Dufficy free throws cut the 49ers' lead, 20-17, with 4:39 on the clock, USU would not score again as Long Beach State took the 25-17 edge into the half.
 
USU trimmed LBSU's lead to two, 27-25, with 3:51 to go in the third quarter after a jumper from junior guard/forward Hailey Bassett-Meacham. Free throws from junior guard Olivia West and Dufficy put the final points on the board for the Aggies as Long Beach State ended the quarter with the 35-28 advantage.
 
Utah State built some momentum in the final quarter as the Aggies used an 11-0 run to lead, 45-41, with 3:26 to play after free throws from Brewster and Dufficy, a couple of Brewster jumpers and a 3-pointer by West. After some back-and-forth, the 49ers were able to tie it up at 48-all after a couple of free throws with 52 seconds remaining. Utah State did not score in its final possession, and a LBSU layup as time expired gave Long Beach State the 50-48 win. 
 

LBSU was led by sophomore guard Shanaijah Davison with 20 points. Junior forward Cydnee Kinslow and freshman guard Kianna Hamilton-Fisher each recorded a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Utah State shot 25.0 percent (13-of-52) from the field, 17.6 percent (3-of-17) from behind the arc and 79.2 percent (19-of-24) at the free throw line. Long Beach State shot 41.7 percent (20-of-48) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from the 3-point line and 54.5 percent (6-of-11) at the charity stripe. 
 
Utah State opens up conference play next as the Aggies host Nevada (3-7) on Wednesday, Jan. 2, at 7 p.m., in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. USU then travels to USAFA, Colo., to take on Air Force (4-7) on Saturday, Jan. 5, at 2 p.m.
 
Women's basketball tickets are available now. Fans can purchase season tickets for $25, or on a game-by-game basis. A women's sports pass is also available for $50, giving fans access to all home women's basketball and gymnastics events. Fans can purchase tickets at the Utah State ticket office, located on the first floor of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tickets are also available online at utahstateaggies.com/tickets, or by calling the ticket office at (435) 797-0305 or (888)-USTATE-1.
 
Fans can follow USU women's basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
 
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