Ali Aird scores 19 as the Aggies improve to 8-6 in Big West

By Jerome Le Carrou

February 18, 2005 | Ali Aird led the Aggies with a game-high 19 points and six rebounds in a 71-55 victory over the UC Riverside Highlanders Thursday night in the Spectrum. The Aggies improve to 13-10 overall and 8-6 in the Big West.

UC Riverside fall to 7-6 and gave up fifth place in the conference to the Aggies.

"Offensively and defensively it was definitely a good half. After Pacific it's probably one of our best starting game," said Aggies Coach Raegan Pebley.

Christina Zdenek, who scored 10 points, said that last week during the paractice the Aggies played aggressively. Against the Highlanders, they focused on the kind of defense they had to play, and it worked.

"It was much easier than practice," Zdenek said.

The Aggies played a tough first half, and Aird help them by doing a great job both defensively and offensively.

"That was so important for us. She was in her groove," Pebley said about Aird.

Aird, who scored 13 points in the first half, had a great presence on the inside. The Aggies were playing a high-pressure defense that seemed hard to handle for the Highlanders.

Kemie Nkele led the Highlanders with 14 points and seven rebounds, both as a result of tough defense by Aird and Jessica Freeman that kept her from getting her usual numbers.

The Aggies started the first half with a 6-2 run, but the Highlanders took the lead 9-8 after a jumper by Jodi Reber.

Then the Aggies outclassed the Highlanders with a 21-4 run and led 31-13 after a free throw by Aird with 5:21 left.

The Aggies entered the locker room with a 35-17 lead, but even if the score pleased the Aggies they knew that the job wasn't finished.

"They were still 20 minutes left; we knew we had to play with more intensity," said Aird.

The Aggies had a 9-2 run to start the second half, but the Highlanders reduced the margin from 25 to 14 after a 23-12 run.

The Aggies led 56-42 with 7:03 left after a jumper by Taylor Richards, and finally finished the game with a 16-point gap.

Brittany Tressler finished the game with 11 points, followed by freshman Richards who had 10 points. Freeman added three more blocks and she is now recorded a 74 shot block in her career.

The Highlanders had three players who scored double-digits: Reber and Cassandra Reeves with 10 points while Agy Frankovits had 12.

The Highlanders shot 36.2 percent from the field while the Aggies shot 44.3 percent, and converted 12 of 16 free-throw attempts.

The Aggies will play their last home game Saturday night against the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

The last five games are important for the Aggies as they will determine their seeding position for the conferenc etournament in March.

"We just want to get a win and play hard," Pebley said.

Zdenek added, "We want to get in the top four of the conference."

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