The San Diego State women’s basketball team needed a win to clinch the Mountain West regular season championship outright.
They got it in dramatic fashion, storming back from an 11-point deficit to stun Boise State 66-64 on the road and capture the regular season title.
The Aztecs (23-4, 17-1) were ice cold early against the second-place Broncos, managing just 21 first-half points and hitting a single three. But after halftime, everything changed. SDSU erupted for 45 second-half points and buried 10 threes, turning a sluggish start into a championship-clinching rally.
Naomi Panganiban led the charge with 19 points, while Kaelyn Hamilton added 13 off the bench and Bailey Barnhard chipped in 10, continuing a season long trend of a balanced offensive attack. Since the start of last season, SDSU is now 37-2 when three or more players reach double figures, including a perfect 16-0 mark this year.
Kaelyn Hamilton protects the ball on her way to 13 points in the victory over Boise State. Credit: Boise State Athletics
Bailey Barnhard gets all ball, contributing on both ends of the floor in the win over Boise State. Credit: Boise State Athletics
The Aztecs opened nervously with four turnovers in the first five minutes, yet their defense kept them alive, holding Boise State to just four first-quarter field goals. And once SDSU settled in, the mistakes disappeared and they had just five turnovers over the final 35 minutes as they tightened their grip on the game.
SDSU trailed by eight at halftime and by as many as 11 earlier, but came roaring out of the locker room with a 10-0 run that flipped the night on its head. After Boise State answered to briefly retake the lead, Panganiban drilled back-to-back threes midway through the fourth quarter to give the Aztecs the edge for good.
The Broncos had one last chance, trailing by two with 24.8 seconds left, but a turnover ended their hopes. SDSU calmly sank its free throws, sealing a program-record 17th conference win and the outright Mountain West crown.
After the game, head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson emphasized that they didn’t play any differently just because the Mountain West title was on the line.
“We weren’t playing for the standings. We were playing for the standard.”
Next Up
The Aztecs return home Saturday at 1 p.m. to host Wyoming in their final home game of the season, now chasing even bigger goals after clinching the conference crown. Get a family four-pack of tickets for only $20.
