Spartan Daily

SJSU women's basketball earns first win of season in 74-64 triumph over Northern Arizona

Northern Arizona sophomore guard Amanda Frost chases SJSU freshman guard Ta’Rea Cunnigan as the Spartans’ defeated the Lumberjacks Thursday night at the SJSU Event Center. Photo by Vernon McKnight / Spartan Daily

The SJSU women’s basketball team won its first game of the season on Thursday night, defeating Northern Arizona University 74-64 in the Event Center.

The Spartans were backed offensively by senior guard Sara Plavljanin, who scored a game-high and season-high 26 points.

“The last two games we were so close to a win, but something was missing,” Plavljanin said in a post-game interview. “It was confidence.  When you have a long losing streak it gets into your head, but today we proved to ourselves that we can win.  In the second half we played up to our ability and I know we’ll build on this game.”

With the victory Thursday night, SJSU (1-6) snapped a 17-game losing streak that stretches back to January of last season.

The win over the Lumberjacks is also the first victory for the Spartans’ head coach Tim La Kose, who is in his first season with SJSU.

“Wins have been tough to come by and the players have been working really hard,” La Kose said.  “We have seen improvement every day and tonight the result reflects the work that has been put in.  I hope this is the first of many to come.”

The Spartans struggled offensively to begin the game after Northern Arizona jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead.

SJSU cut the lead to 8-6 with more than 15 minutes left to play in the first half after a jump shot by sophomore guard Brea Matthews and two free throws by freshman guard Ta’Rea Cunnigan.

After converting just 20 percent of their shots during the first half, the Spartans found themselves trailing 30-24 at the end of the first half.

Defense is what kept SJSU in the game during the first half, in which the team gathered up 20 turnovers. The stout defense would continue throughout the course of the game, with the Spartans finishing with 32 total turnovers on the night.

“We had a more consistent effort on the defensive end,” La Kose said.  “Our hands and feet were active — players were communicating which resulted in a lot of turnovers for us, but in the first half we didn’t turn them into points.”

Despite the tough defense SJSU displayed all night, the Lumberjacks once again began the half strong, jumping to a 10-point lead with 16:21 to play.

SJSU answered right back and went on a 10-0 run, sparked by a steal by sophomore guard Rachel Finnegan, which was converted into a layup on the other end.

The two teams went back and forth, burying baskets in alternating fashion until two free throws by Matthews gave SJSU its first lead of the contest with the score at 51-49 and 7:41 to go.

SJSU outscored Northern Arizona 23-15 from then on to close out the first victory for the Spartans in the team’s young season.

The Spartans shot 62 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the free throw line in the second half.

Senior forward Brittany Johnson scored in double digits for the seventh time this season, scoring 17 points and adding eight rebounds.

Lumberjack sophomore center Shay May led Northern Arizona with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Junior shooting forward Tyler Stephens-Jenkins pitched in with 15 points and junior center Aubrey Davis added 10 points.

“We have played some really good teams this year, including Northern Arizona,” Plavljanin said. “If we come out and do what we do well, good things are going to happen.”