It took three overtimes to do it, but San Diego State’s women’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.
Veronica Sheffey made four free throws in the final 42 seconds of the third overtime late Wednesday night to lead the Aztecs to a 72-68 victory over Wyoming in the championship game of the Mountain West Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The victory earned the Aztecs (25-9) an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Pairings will be announced Sunday at 5 p.m.
“What a great game for women’s basketball and what a great game for the Mountain West,” San Diego State coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said. “I’m still shaking a little bit from three overtimes.”
San Diego State held early leads of four and five points in the first two overtimes only to have Wyoming rally to tie at 54-54 and 64-64. The Aztecs outscored Wyoming 8-4 in the third five-minute overtime period.
The Aztecs again took a four-point lead in the third overtime on layup baskets by Kim Villalobos and Cali Clark. Then Sheffey sealed the victory with four straight converted free throws.
Sheffey led the Aztecs with 24 points. Freshman guard Naomi Panganiban scored 17.
Forward Cali Clark scored 12 points with 17 rebounds, six steals and three blocked shots. She also did a stellar job defending Mountain West Player of the Year and conference scoring champion Allyson Fertig, who scored 17 points with 18 rebounds over 54 minutes.
Clark, who usually comes off the bench but started Wednesday to defend Fertig, became the only Division I player this century to have 17 rebounds, six steals and three blocks in a tournament game.
“To be honest, when I play basketball, I try not to look at the statistics,” said Clark. “I’m for what the team needs and tonight the team needed me to play some defense and not let Allyson do what she normally does.
“I did what I needed to do. I think that was big for us.”
Said Terry-Hutson: “Defensively, we just did a great job of getting stops when we needed them. I’m really proud of our defense and Cali anchoring us in the low post.”
Villalobos, who scored the Aztecs’ first points in two of the three overtimes, had 11 points and nine rebounds.
There were 16 lead changes and the game was tied 12 times, although the Aztecs had the lead for almost twice as long as Wyoming and never trailed in the overtimes.
The Aztecs forced the Cowgirls into 25 turnovers while committing only 14. The Aztecs had a 20-5 edge in points off turnovers and also had a 15-8 edge in steals.
Sheffey played 51 of the 55 minutes. Clark was on the floor for 49 minutes while Panganiban played 47 and Villalobos 39. Although depth has been an Aztec strength this season, San Diego State had a season-low points off the bench against Wyoming.
