Video HighlightsSAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco defense did what it's been doing all season – stifling opponents to low point totals. In Saturday's contest against San Jose State, the NCAA's highest scoring offense, USF locked down to hold the Spartans 30 points below their season scoring average. The Dons came away victorious in the 77-62 affair at War Memorial Gym.
For USF, the victory is the seventh-straight at home and the team closes the non-conference slate with a mark of 9-2. The last time the USF women stood at 9-2 on the season was Dec. 30, 1996, in their last run to the NCAA tournament field. The Spartans now stand at an even 5-5 after their lowest offensive output of the year.
"San Jose State is a very good team and a very good program," head coach
Jennifer Azzi said aver the win. "They run a very up tempo style of offense and they're leading the nation in scoring. They're a great team and our team defended well tonight. I'm very proud of our team and the way that they were there for each other defensively and it turned out in our favor."
USF was led by a foursome of double-digit scorers, headed by senior
Paige Spietz' effective 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting and a 7-of-9 effort from the free throw line. Spietz' 20 points represents a new career high, and her nine rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, is a new season high for the senior from Brimfield, Ill.
"I think as a team this was one of our best games this season, if not our best game, all around in every area," Spietz said. "We took advantage of a lot of opportunities that were given to us today. The ball just happened to fall in my hands at the right time.
"I think we just enjoy playing together as a team. We're definitely our best when we're all in it together and moving the ball and playing defense and helping each other out on defense. Today was just one of those days where everything clicked for us."
Taylor Proctor finished with her fourth double-double of the season, adding 17 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
Zhane Dikes finished with 16 points, seven boards and a team-high four assists and
Taj Winston contributed 11 points and three steals for the Dons.
"Taylor had another great night as did Paige and Taj and Z and the whole group of them," Azzi said. "They were able to do what the game gave them. We're a more experienced team this year. Several of these guys have started together for three years and so I think them having the confidence in those starts just makes a big difference. They do have a different mindset this season. They are mentally focused, they are into it and it's their team."
The Dons opened by winning the tip for the 10th time this year, and USF jumped out to a sizeable lead in the early-goings of the game. The Dons got its first double-digit advantage five minutes into the action after Dikes found Spietz for the jumper to make it 12-1. After a steal credited to
Rachel Howard and ensuing pass to Dikes in the lane for the bucket, the Dons led 16-4 with 14:15 to play in the second.
San Jose State cut it to six points after Emily Vann's 3-pointer put the score at 21-15, but USF again ballooned the lead to double digits, and had a 40-22 advantage at the halftime break. In the first 20 minutes of play, Proctor and Spietz already found themselves in double figures and the Dons were shooting 44.7 percent from the field, compared to San Jose State's 7-for-28 effort in the period.
The Dons continued to roll in the second half, leading 57-32 after Winston's pass found an open Dikes for the jumper with 13:47 remaining on the clock. The Spartans rallied to slice the lead to 12 with 3:16 to play after Jasmine Smith's offensive rebound and putback make the score 68-56 in favor of the Dons, but time was not on the side of the visitors.
USF went on to take the game 77-62 and close out non-conference play with a perfect 7-0 mark at home thus far on the season. The Dons outshot the Spartans 43.8 to 31.3 percent, and USF was an effective 18-of-23 from the line, where the team is 29th in the nation in free throw percentage. The victory stands as the Dons third-straight wire-to-wire win.
"Our team has been excited about defense this year and they're really taking pride in getting stops and playing together and taking charges," Azzi noted. "They're very much there for each other. They get along very well on the court and off the court and I think that shows in how they play together."
After a break for the Christmas holiday, USF opens West Coast Conference play Saturday, Dec. 27 at 2 p.m., as the team welcomes Pacific to War Memorial Gym.
