San Diego, CA— San Diego State Women’s Basketball opened their season strong, securing a 76-48 victory over Cal State San Marcos on Monday night at Viejas Arena.
“Basketball season is here, and I’m so excited to get on the floor with the team,” said head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. “I thought San Marcos was a good opponent; they challenged us in ways we’ll review on film, but overall, I was pleased with our performance.”
The Aztecs began the game with a starting lineup of forwards Kim Villalobos and Adryana Quezada, alongside guards Veronica Sheffey, Meghan Fiso, and Naomi Panganiban. After the first five minutes, the bench came into play, introducing what Coach Terry-Hutson calls her “game changers” to complete the first quarter.
These rotations allowed for key players, including forwards Cali Clark and Khylee Pepe, and guard Erin Houpt, to make a significant impact.
“They come in and affect the game,” Terry-Hutson said. “Erin, Cali, and Khylee all brought energy off the bench. We don’t emphasize starting positions as much as we value contributions toward winning.”
Houpt’s return was a highlight of the night. Missing all last season, she looked confident on the court, scoring 13 points, many from long-range shots.
“It was really exciting for me,” Houpt said. “I’ve been here a year and a half, but this was my first game. I’ve been looking forward to it the entire time, and it was so much fun to finally play.”
Freshman guard Naomi Panganiban was one of the few freshmen to start in a season opener since Sophia Ramos in 2018.
“She [Panganiban] does a great job with the little things and has an excellent feel for sharing and passing the ball,” Terry-Hutson said. “Offensively, she’s talented, and we’re working with her to improve defensively to keep her on the court longer.”
The Aztec coaching staff also experimented with minute rotations, utilizing five to six players off the bench.
“We’re fortunate to have depth and a lot of talent, so you’ll see plenty of rotations,” Terry-Hutson said. “I think we played 11 players in the first quarter, and I expect that to continue.”
While the Aztecs excelled defensively, they’re looking to improve on ball movement and setting up easier scoring opportunities. Coach Terry-Hutson emphasized the need for better defense without fouling to limit free-throw chances for opponents.
In the second quarter, although the Aztecs missed nine straight shots offensively, their defense held San Marcos out of the paint for extended periods.
“Just because they didn’t score doesn’t mean our defense was perfect,” Terry-Hutson said. “We need to improve our rotations and reduce drives to the rim. Fouling only compounded mistakes, so there’s room to grow defensively.”
The team’s depth was on full display, as both veteran and first-year players adjusted to a fast pace, creating more possessions and opportunities.
The Aztecs’ next home game will be on Monday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. against Idaho State.
