CHICAGO — The Chicago State women's basketball team (3-12, 2-4 WAC) earned its first home win in nearly three years Tuesday, taking down New Mexico State, 67-64, at the Jones Convocation Center.
"This feels amazing," head coach Tiffany Sardin said. "I love our women's perseverance, and how they rise to it. They handle adversity. I'm so happy for them. It's them. They worked extremely hard for this win."
New Mexico State led, 59-43, with 9:18 left in the game. But the Cougars clamped down on defense, allowing no made baskets from the floor down the stretch. From there, Chicago State outscored the Aggies, 24-5, to win. The victory also marked Chicago State's first ever against New Mexico State (previously 0-18).
Offensively, Allysah Boothe scored all nine of her points in the fourth, knocking down two big three-pointers to bring CSU closer. Aaliyah Collins scored a team-high 17, adding six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Jazmine Covington also poured in 13 points, knocking down three treys.
"This was really special," Boothe said. "We had our fans here. It's definitely special, not just for us but for Coach Sardin. It's a good start."
The Cougars forced 22 turnovers, leading to 20 points in the win.
The game started with CSU on a roll. The Cougars scored the first four points, all from Janiah Newell. But New Mexico State then kicked into gear. Behind Mel Isbell and Big Sarr, the Aggies outscored the Cougars, 13-6, over the next seven minutes to take a 13-10 lead into the second quarter.
The Aggies then owned the second quarter. Sarr dominated the paint, racking up 12 points and six rebounds in the frame. The Aggies led, 35-21, at the 0:56 mark before a CSU flurry. Nafatoumata Haidara nailed a layup, then Covington drilled a three, to make the score 35-26 heading to halftime.
In the third quarter, the Cougars clamped down defensively on Sarr, and reigning USBWA Freshman of the Week Aaliyah Collins took command. Collins delivered nine third quarter-points, earning three trips to the free-throw line, where she hit five of six shots. The Cougars, however, couldn't stop the Aggie attack. With Sarr under control, Tayelin Grays and Soufia Inoussa starred as New Mexico State entered the fourth leading, 55-43.
By the 9:18 mark one the fourth, that lead had ballooned to 59-43. But from there, the Cougar onslaught took hold. Newell scored four consecutive points before Boothe nailed threes on back-to-back possessions. The Cougars were then within four points, 59-55, at the 6:16 mark.
After a timeout, Collins snuck in a layup, Newell hit a jumper and the game was tied, 59-59.
Two minutes later, the tie having held at 61-61, Covington knocked down her third three of the afternoon off a Newell offensive rebound, pushing the Cougars ahead, 64-61. CSU never relented the lead, hitting free throws down the stretch to ice a 67-64 win, the first home win of the Sardin era.
"Our women just stuck with the gameplan," Sardin said. "And we believed. It helps when you believe."
The Cougars next head to Utah Valley to face the Wolverines on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. in Orem before a Saturday clash at Dixie State.
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title and made an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet.
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