USU Women’s Basketball Rallied But Toped By Bison Monday

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State junior forward Ashlee Brown, netted a career-high 20 points coming off the bench for the Aggie women’s basketball team but it was not enough pass North Dakota State University, resulting in a 86-64 loss Monday.USU drops to 0-2, while North Dakota State improves to 2-0 with the win, also defeating the Aggies’ conference-rival New Mexico State last week. Brown’s career-high points came in 21 minutes of action as she is still struggling to recover from an illness. NDSU’s Danielle DeGagne led all scorers with 22 points. The Aggies had three players in double figures for the second game in a row, including Brown’s 20-point career high, senior Amber White sunk 13 points and sophomore Banna Diop added 12. The Aggies depended heavily on their bench who combined for 29 of the Aggies 64 points, while the Bison’s bench only nabbed 16. USU put the first points on the board with a layup from sophomore Jenna Johnson. The Bison returned with a 13-0 point run. The Bison’s aggressive front-court style kept the Aggies at a average six-point deficit during the first half. Just six minutes into the first half the Aggies had six personal fouls to the Bison’s one. USU brought back the point margin to within four points, 27-23, in favor of the Bison with four minutes left in the first half. NDSU was able to stretch their lead to 10 points before half with two made three-pointers by the Bison. Heading into the locker room the Aggies were down, 37-27. In the first half USU shot 40 percent from the field (12-of-30) and just 12.5 percent from behind the arc (1-of-8) but a perfect 100 percent from the free-throw line (2-of-2). The Bison were 50 percent from the field (15-of-30), 36 percent from the three-point line (4-of-11) and 42.9 percent from free-throw line (3-of-7). The Aggies came out of the locker room after halftime with fire from sophomore Banna Diop. Diop scored the first four baskets of the second half for the Aggies. Diop would end the night with 12 points, all of which she sunk in the second half. USU was able to come back within four points, but the Bison’s unrelenting offense and aggressive style kept the Aggies at bay. The Bison had a 12-2 run late in the second half which would leave the Aggies down 56-73 and would prove impossible to the USU to recover from. The Bison closed out the game with two made free-throws from Whitney Trecker, leaving the score at 86-64. For the game, Utah State shot 41.3 percent from the field (26-of-63) improving from the first half (40 percent) and season opener against Dixie State (38.8 percent). USU remained 12.5 percent from the three-point line (2-of-6) and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. The Bison were able to sink 52 percent from the field (33-of-63) and out shot the Aggies (12.5 percent) from behind the arc sinking 9-of-20 (45 percent). NDSU was 11-of-17 from the free-throw line (64.7 percent). USU will return home where they will host Montana on Saturday, Nov. 20, in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 7 p.m. Utah State’s football team will host Idaho at 1 p.m. that day. Admission to the women’s basketball game is free with a ticket stub from the Aggie football game. Fans can follow USU women’s basketball and Coach Pebley on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UTAHSTATEofmind and Utah State Athletics at http://twitter.com/USUAthletics. For tickets contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office at 435-797-0305 for more information or visit the Utah Stte athletics website at www.UtahStateAggies.com -USU-

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