Box Score Final Box Score (PDF)

FRESNO, Calif. - Utah State women's basketball (7-7, 2-1 MW) lost to Fresno State (10-4, 3-0 MW) 70-59 here at the Save Mart Center Wednesday night.

Junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds to go along with three assists, three blocks and two steals. Freshman guard Steph Gorman also scored in double figures with 11 points.

After a 3-pointer from junior guard Eliza West and a Dufficy free throw put the Aggies up 4-2 early in the first quarter, Fresno State used an 8-0 run to lead, 10-4, with 4:45 on the clock.  The Bulldogs extended their lead to nine at 17-8 before Utah State closed out the period scoring six straight points after buckets from senior center Deja Mason, Dufficy and senior guard Rachel Brewster, to cut the lead to three, 17-14.

The threes were falling for the Aggies in the second quarter, as Gorman hit a pair to put the Aggies up three, 20-17, with 8:23 to go. Back-to-back treys from sophomore guard Emmie Harris and junior guard Olivia West gave USU the 28-23 with 3:11 remaining. A Harris layup gave Utah State the 30-25 lead with 1:41 to play, while a Bulldogs layup made it a three-point game, 30-27, heading into the break.

Fresno State opened the third quarter with a 14-3 run to lead 41-33 with 4:14 to go. Dufficy ended the run with a layup and followed with another layup and a pair of free throws to bring the Aggies within five, 44-39, with 2:24 on the clock. The Bulldogs maintained the lead and a Brewster jumper with 24 seconds to go cut Fresno State's lead to seven at 50-43 at the end of the third period.

The Aggies' first field goal in the final stanza came at the 3:52 mark after O. West hit a trey to bring USU within 12, 61-49. Fresno State extended its lead back out to 15 at 66-51 with 2:12 to play. Utah State then used an 8-0 run to make it a seven-point game, 66-59, with 49 seconds to play after a Dufficy jumper and a couple of triples from Gorman and O. West. The Bulldogs scored the final four points of the game, taking the 70-59 win.

Senior guard Candice White led Fresno State with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Utah State shot 35.0 percent (21-of-60) from the field, 30.8 percent (8-of-26) from behind the arc and 75.0 percent (9-of-12) at the free throw line. Fresno State shot 50.0 percent (26-of-52) from the floor, 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from the 3-point line and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) at the free throw line.

Utah State next hosts Wyoming (9-3, 2-1 MW) on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m., in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

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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