Nick CamachoJunior forward Megan Harrison’s 20-point first half and career-high 34-point game total, on 13-16 shooting was not enough to lead the Mustangs (3-4, 0-0 Big West) over the San Diego State Aztecs (5-1, 0-0 Mountain West Conference) as they fell 70-80 following a less-than-stellar second-half performance.
“I honestly had no idea I had that many points until coaches told us in the locker room,” Harrison said of her new record. “I got rhythm and I got good shots.”
Harrison said she was frustrated with her shot recently in practice and thus took some extra attempts afterward. Her hard work carried over.
It was a slow start for both teams Thursday night – not that anyone was watching. The attendance at women’s and men’s basketball games in Mott Gym was analogous to the amount of seeds in an apple to that of a pomegranate. As the game began with a slew of sloppy turnovers, missed lay-ups and lazy passes, it seemed the Mustangs were proving their nonexistent fans . right.
A women’s basketball game, much more so than a men’s, is like a dance. Opposed to the sheer athleticism seen in a men’s basketball contest, women basketball games can look awkward and jumbled when thrown together, but when preformed correctly, beautifully choreographed numbers can and will awe an audience.
Last night was not one of those nights.
Following an early first half timeout, the Mustangs changed some of their steps. For starters, following their haphazard ball handling and passing early on – they had 11 turnovers in the first half – Poly decided to hold on to the rock for a change. Also, aggressive attacks down the middle, spearheaded by senior guard Sparkle Anderson, sucked the Aztec defense – allowing guards to dish to post players and secure some much needed buckets.
As their dance steps changed, the Mustangs successfully livened up the “crowd.” After being down early, suddenly, Cal Poly was up 25-17 with seven minutes in the half. For a moment, they became the stars instead of dancing with them.
And they kept on tapping in the first half. It was 43-38 at the buzzer and Harrison, the lord of the game at that point, had 20 points at the half on 7-8 shooting, 6-6 from the line while freshman Aztec Paris Johnson led her squad with 12.
Harrison took a charge to open up the second half on a positive, though probably painful, note. But the sting obviously didn’t last as she continued to drain shot after shot from the floor. But as the saying goes, there is no “I” in “team” and Harrison couldn’t do it all.
The Aztecs gained their first lead of the second half (50-49) on a Jene Morris three and then Coco Davis lucked out with a three off a bank to extend the lead to four and they never looked back.
Senior center Nicole Yarwasky hit a jumper to stop the run only to suffer another Aztec long bomb by Morris on the following possession. The Aztecs were 4-4 from behind the arch at this point in the second half, yet the Mustangs remained in a 2-3 zone, a formation that obviously wasn’t doing its job after San Diego State threw a fourth player out on the perimeter.
Despite a promising late first half showing and a close finish, the Mustangs, who turned the ball over 23 times and were out rebounded 39-31, 20-12 on offensive boards, executed more like a freestyle break dance than a ballroom performance. The Aztecs hands were too quick and they hit big shots in the end.
“Rebounding really hurt us tonight . It’s an area we clearly have to improve on,” head coach Faith Mimnaugh said.
No other Mustangs besides Harrison, whose 34 points established a school record since it became a Division I program, finished in double-digits while four Aztecs made that mark.
“I would have liked to have some more support for (Harrison), because the game was theirs for the taking,” Mimnaugh said.
Were there more bodies in the stands to perform for, perhaps the outcome would have been different. Although many like to dance like nobody is watching, in basketball, having an audience is key. After a match against San Diego State on Saturday at 2 p.m., Poly will host Santa Clara University in its last home game of the year on Dec. 12.