Women's basketball team falls to UC Santa Barbara, 67-59, before hitting road

By Jerome Le Carrou

February 7, 2005 | The Utah State Aggies lost 67-59 to UC Santa Barbara Saturday afternoon in the Spectrum to finish out a four-game home stand 2-2.

The Aggies fall to 11-9 overall and 6-5 in conference play.

The Spectrum was more crowded than usual, probably because the Gauchos stand on the top of the Big West Conference.

The Gauchos had a 10-4 run to open the game, as Autumn Nichols had six of her 15 points in that first run.

But after two three-pointers in 35 seconds by Brittany Hagen, the Aggies took the lead with 12:55 remaining After two free throws by Christina Zdenek, the Aggies widened the gap to 34-27 with 3:58 left and kept the lead until halftime.

The Aggies played hard in that first half and were able to get a lot of defensive and offensive rebounds.

At halftime the Aggies led 38-34 after outrebounding the Gauchos 17-16. Aggies Freshman Taylor Richard scored 11 points in the first half.

The Aggies shot 36.7 percent from the field while the Gauchos shot 53.3 percent during the first half.

"I was really, really happy with our whole first half," said Aggies coach Raegan Pebley.

Gauchos coach Mark French said, "We were really, really in trouble. But we did a better job in the second half."

Pebley agreed: "The first 10 minutes of the second half we just kind of fall apart."

The Aggies led until Gauchos senior Kristen Mann scored a lay-up with 13:11 remaining, enabling the Gauchos to have a 47-46 lead.

"We missed so many little shots," said USU's Brittany Hagen. "We have to learn how to still stay focused. . . . We were so much more relax in the second half. It's just frustrating."

But the Aggies did not give up, and Zdenek scored a three-pointer with 8:03 remaining to cut the lead to 50-48.

It was hard for the Aggies to hold the experimented Gauchos as they were playing patiently, knowing that they could make the difference at any time especially when the Aggies are missing so many lay-ups.

"They are incredible athletes," said Aggies Jessica Freeman, who scored 10 points.

The Gauchos finally took a 53-52 lead after a free throw shot by Karena Bond with 5:28 left.

The Aggies tried to come back but the Gauchos kept their poise at the end.

Autumn Nichols and Kristen Mann led the Gauchos with 21 points each while Taylor Richards led the Aggies with 14, followed by Zdenek with 11.

The Aggies were outrebounded 40-34 even though Aggies Ali Aird had 10.

"We were not playing to win; we were playing not to lose," said Pebley.

French had a lot of compliments for the Aggies:"I wasn't surprised at all. They had a good game; I mean they are good.".

French also said that he was disappointed that the Aggies have to leave the Big West next year, when USU joins the Western Athletic Conference.

Aggies hit the road next week to face Cal State Northridge Thursday and Pacific Saturday.

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