Navin Sunjay Krishnan (@NavinKthespear) – Women’s Basketball Beat Reporter
San Jose State women’s basketball (1-3, 0-0 MW) took on Montana State (4-1, 0-0 BS) at home on Tuesday night and lost 74-65 in an overtime thriller.
The Bobcats, coming off of an NCAA tournament appearance in 2022, would serve as a litmus test for the run-and-gun offense and the scrappy defense head coach April Phillips has worked to implement early this season.
“Anyone who actually watched us play and knows the game of basketball can see we’re actually getting better,” said Phillips. “I think some of that comes with time. It is going to be a process.”
After the first quarter, SJSU allowed MSU to grab five offensive rebounds while the Bobcats showed disciplined transition defense. The score remained a one-possession game with the Spartans down 17-15.
SJSU held its ground defensively and strung together a number of solid defensive stops. Phillips’ squad held MSU to 11-for-30 shooting at half.
“They’re a tough team, we had to contain them with our defense,” said graduate guard Aarion Nichols. “It’s not something you script out, you just do it or you don’t.”
The Spartans were clicking on the offense, getting out in transition and moving the ball for easy looks.
The Bobcats’ sharpshooting junior guard Leia Beattie nailed two 3-pointers to close the second quarter.
Beattie’s stellar performance pushed MSU within striking distance at halftime, down 30-29 to the gritty Spartans.
SJSU sophomore forward Marisa Davis-Jones was tied for the game’s leading scorer at halftime with Beattie with 12 points. Davis-Jones would end the night with a career-high 22 points, and Beattie would finish with a game-high 27 points.
Spartan nation held its breath when senior guard Jada Holland went down with an injury and had to be helped off the court late in the third quarter. Fortunately, she was able to return at the 4:34 mark of the fourth quarter.
Beattie’s hot streak continued with a four-point play. SJSU would again fight back to tie the game 45-45.
Nichols hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Spartans some life. With 28.6 seconds on the clock, the score was tied, 61-61.
SJSU was able to get the final stop of regulation via Nichols’ ball-hawk instincts. She stripped Bobcats senior guard Darian White with one second left to send the game to overtime.
“A lot of fight, I do believe that we played hard,” said Phillips. “Like I said, we’re young. As time goes on, we’ll continue to get better.”
Nichols had her best performance of the season with 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. Freshman guard Sabrina Ma set a new season high by converting three 3-pointers into nine points.
“I’m one-hundred percent recognizing the growth, in [the team] and in myself,” said Phillips.
SJSU women’s basketball looks to bounce back on Friday against the University of Texas, El Paso in San Luis Obispo, Calif.