Utah State women’s basketball takes down league-leading Boise State, 81-68

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State women’s basketball (12-14, 7-8 Mountain West) posted an 81-68 victory over league-leading Boise State (21-4, 12-2 MW) here in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Saturday.

Four Aggies scored in double figures in the win, led by junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy and senior guard Rachel Brewster who tied their career highs of 26 and 22 points, respectively. Freshman guard Steph Gorman scored 13 points and junior guard Olivia West had 11. Dufficy also recorded her 16th double-double of the season with 12 rebounds.

After Boise State took an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, the Aggies responded with a 17-2 run, including 10 points from Brewster, to lead 19-10. An O. West four-point play put the Aggies up 10, 24-14, while a couple Bronco free throws trimmed USU’s lead to 24-16 at the end of the period.

An 8-0 Boise State run tied it up at 24-24 in the second quarter. Layups from Dufficy and Brewster gave USU the 30-26 edge, but Boise State scored seven straight points to take a 33-30 lead with 3:44 to go. Another O. West three, Dufficy layup and Brewster jumper put the Aggies back on top at 37-33, while a Bronco layup made it a two-point game, 37-35, going into the break.

Boise State took a 47-43 lead with 5:10 on the clock in the third quarter, but the Aggies outscored the Broncos, 9-3, to end the quarter after a Gorman jumper, Brewster free throw and layups from junior forward Marlene Aniambossou and senior center Deja Mason for the 52-50 edge at the end of the stanza.

The game stayed tight for the opening minutes of the final stanza as Boise State took a 60-59 lead. The Aggies took back the lead and extended it out for an eight-point advantage, 69-61, after Dufficy free throws and a layup, as well as a couple Gorman triples. The Broncos came within five, 69-64, with 1:38 to play, but that was the closest it would come to as the Aggies went 10-for-12 at the charity stripe in the final minute-and-a-half of the game.

Boise State also had four players score in double figures, led by junior guard Braydey Hodgins with 23.

Utah State finished the night shooting a season-high 56.3 percent (27-of-48) from the field, as well as 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from behind the arc and 72.4 percent (21-of-29) at the free throw line. Boise State shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from long range and 82.4 percent (14-of-17) at the free throw line.

Utah State next opens a two-game road trip as the Aggies take on San Diego State (10-15, 5-9 MW) on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. (MT), in the Viejas Arena in San Diego, Calif.

-USU-

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