By Oscar Benitez (@OscarB006) – Spear Reporter – San Jose State women’s basketball in a huddle during a timeout called by head coach Jonas Patterson (Photo by Gabriella Kelly – Spear Photographer)
San Jose State’s women’s basketball team lost 81-52 in a lopsided affair to San Diego State.
SJSU shot efficiently from beyond the arc but could not overcome their 14 turnovers, defensive lapses and a large deficit in the paint.
The Spartans finished 8 for 18 from three-point range, but SJSU head coach Jonas Patterson said perimeter shooting was not the deciding factor.
“The team that scores more layups wins,” Patterson said. “They got 36 points in the paint. We got 22. That’s the difference in the game.”
Senior guard Katarina Anderson pointed to early offensive breakdowns that set the tone.
“I think the biggest fault offensively was setting our screens and actually not catching the ball a lot in the first quarter,” Katarina Anderson said. “The first half, we were just not disciplined about the little mistakes.”
The Spartans struggled to sustain momentum during the second quarter, when brief runs were followed by turnovers and rushed possessions.
“We’ll make a defensive error, we’ll come down and take a bad shot where we really need to execute,” Patterson said. “Every mistake you make, good teams are gonna punish you.”
Leading scorer, sophomore forward Maya Anderson said “they were getting a lot of layups, it’s easy for a team to get into a groove.”
Despite the loss, Maya Anderson recorded her third straight game in double figures and showed improvement from long range.
“Tonight was a little bit of a relief for me because I shot it pretty well from three,” Maya Anderson said. “I think I’ve been struggling with that this season.”
Both players said ball security and discipline remain priorities moving forward.
“For the next game, you just have to actually protect the ball,” Katarina Anderson said. “When we get sped up, we make poor decisions.”
The Spartans will now turn their focus to their next game, which is on the road against New Mexico at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
