Mustangs hit 14 threes in 88-61 victory over Spartans

After trailing 4-0 in the early minutes of the game, sophomoreSarah Davis hit the first of the Mustangs’ record 14three-pointers en route to a dominating 88-61 win over the San JoseState Spartans. The Ponies never looked back as they cruised to the27-point victory, improving their record to 7-5 in the WesternAthletic Conference, and 11-10 overall. San Jose State falls to 5-6in the WAC and 13-7 overall.

“Coming off the loss at Fresno, after shooting poorly andnot playing very tough defense, we really wanted to come back andget the win,” senior guard Andrea Cossey said.

The win came on a 48.3 percent shooting from the floor for SMU,and also gives the Mustangs a 5-0 home record against WACopponents.

“We’re like a totally different team at home. On theroad, we just haven’t been showing up, but at home it’slike everybody just plays better,” Cossey said.

Davis and Cossey each scored 13 each, but it was guard KendallShead who had a career night, netting 18 points, while grabbingnine rebounds and dishing out nine assists to lead SMU, justmissing a triple-double.

San Jose’s Tatiana Taylor bested Shead’s efforts bythe slightest margin to lead all scorers with 19 points and 10rebounds.

Defense was also a factor in the win, as the Mustangs held theSpartans to 39.3 percent from the field and kept San Jose’sleading scorer Cricket Williams to only two points in the firsthalf. Williams finished the night with 11 points and eight assists.The Mustangs were also opportunistic, turning 20 San Jose Stateturnovers into 20 points.

After leading at halftime 36-22, SMU’s Kaira White ignitedthe second-half attack, shooting 4 of 6 from three-point land,including two on back-to-back possessions. White finished with 14points.

Ten points by sophomore Shanta Ramdhanny gave the Mustangs fivescorers in double figures.

Going 9-of-11 in the second half from three-point range aidedthe Ponies in reaching an impressive 51.9 percent for the game. SanJose didn’t hit a single three, going 0-7.

Winning four of its past five games, SMU looks strong going intothis Saturday’s contest against the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine at2 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.

“We definitely owe [Hawaii] one, after we, again,didn’t play well at their place. Hopefully, we can keepplaying well in Moody,” Cossey said.