Final Box Score (PDF)
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State women's basketball (11-13, 6-7 Mountain West) earned a 64-55 victory over Air Force (8-16, 4-9 MW) here on Saturday in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
A trio of Aggies scored in double figures as senior guard
Rachel Brewster had a team-high 17 points, while junior guard/forward
Shannon Dufficy scored 16 points and freshman guard
Steph Gorman had 12 points. Dufficy also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for her 15th double-double of the season.
Air Force took a 9-5 lead in the first quarter before USU responded with a 7-0 run after layups from junior guard
Eliza West and Dufficy, and a Dufficy trey to lead 12-9. A Falcon three tied it up, but a Brewster jumper in the final seconds gave USU the 14-12 advantage at the end of the period.
Utah State extended its lead to seven, 19-12, after a Dufficy layup and a Brewster jumper and free throw in the second quarter. Air Force then tied it up at 20-20 with 6:31 to go. The teams went back and forth with a Dufficy layup at the buzzer giving the Aggies the 27-24 edge at the half.
The teams traded buckets in the third quarter as the Falcons took a 40-37 lead. A Gorman trey and Brewster layup put USU up, 42-40, with 1:07 on the clock. After Air Force tied it up at 44-44, Dufficy knocked down a couple free throws to give USU the 46-44 lead at the end of the third.
After Air Force free throws tied it up at 46-46 in the final stanza, a couple Brewster jumpers and a Gorman triple gave USU the 53-46 advantage. The Aggies maintained their lead and led by 10, 62-52, after another Gorman three with 1:30 to go. A couple free throws from junior guard
Olivia West secured the 64-55 USU victory.
Air Force was led by sophomore guard Emily Conroe with 19 points, nine rebounds and five steals.
Utah State shot 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the field, 33.3 percent (5-of-15) from behind the arc and 83.3 percent (15-of-18) at the free throw line. Air Force shot 38.3 percent (23-of-60) from the floor, 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from long range and 75.0 percent (6-of-8) at the free throw line.
Utah State next travels to Albuquerque, N.M., to take on New Mexico (20-3, 10-2 MW) on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 7 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) 797-0305or (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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