By Ernie Gonzalez (@superego1012):
San Jose State (6-11, 3-3 MW) women’s basketball escaped Colorado Springs Saturday with a 75-74 win against last place Air Force (0-16, 0-6 MW), making it the team’s first conference win away from home.
It was a game of momentum, as the Spartans pulled away, then the lead shrunk, then grew again.
The Falcons came out of the gates red hot, scoring the game’s first seven points, but an Analyss Benally three got things going for the Spartans as they rallied back quick to take the lead.
The game was knotted up eight times and changed leaders 11 times. At one point in the first half, SJSU was on a 14-0 run, but the Falcons kept marching back.
The game stuck to its tone all the way through, as Spartan head coach Jamie Craighead said the inability to sign and seal the contest was because of the team’s youth.
“We’re just too young to close out and ensure that those runs don’t happen,” Craighead told Spartan Athletics postgame. “We can now learn a lesson off a win.”
Guards Taylor Turney and Myzhanique Ladd both had strong performances, as usual, but Fa-Ko-Fieme’a Hafoka’s proved to be an ‘X’ factor Saturday afternoon with 12 points, four assists and three steals.
Turney and Ladd combined for 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, but speak to any of them and they would say the win was hideous.
“It was an ugly one though,” said Turney in response to a Twitter post.
Craighead also tweeted her thoughts on the game, saying it had its flaws, but her team got the job done.
“It wasn’t pretty at times and it took everything we had… but a win is a win!”
Up next for the Spartans is another roadie against Nevada on Wednesday, a team that has already lost Utah State and New Mexico, two teams the Spartans have already beaten.
