Aztecs top Utes for WAC title

      Good defense brought San Diego State to the women's Western Athletic Conference Tournament, and another fine defensive performance brought it the championship.
      The Aztecs, who lead the nation in scoring defense (51 points per game), held Utah to one point for a nine-minute stretch to defeat the Utes 56-50 Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center to win the WAC title and gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
      "Defense wins championships," said Aztecs forward Jodi Nowlin-Tres, who was selected tournament MVP. "And that's exactly what showed out there today."
      Nowlin-Tres led the Aztecs (23-6) with 19 points, eight rebounds and six steals. Carlin's Sandy Wright had 15 points, five rebounds and six assists, and was named to the All-Tournament team.
      Utah (24-5), which had won 19 of 20 games, should receive an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament when the seedings are announced today at 4:30 p.m.
      "It's disappointing, but San Diego (State) played a good game, and you have to give them credit," said Ute sharpshooter Julie Krommenhoek. "We need to keep our heads up and look forward to the NCAAs."
      Krommenhoek, second in the nation in 3-pointers made per game (3.2), hit a bomb with 10:39 left in the second half to give Utah a 46-44 lead. But by the time she hit another with 1:03 to go, San Diego State had built a 55-50 advantage.
      "We went through a long time there (where) we needed to score, whether it was a two or a three," said Krommenhoek, who scored a game-high 21 points, including 5 of 12 from beyond the arc. "The team did a good job getting me open, but we didn't get it done."
      "When you can hold a team from scoring for nine minutes, that's something that hits you deep down, because you know it's from your hard work," Nowlin-Tres said. "We work more on defense than we do on offense because your offense can be there one night and not the next, but defense can always be there."
      The Utes, held to 9 of 18 shooting in the second half, committed 14 of their 24 turnovers after halftime.
      Aztecs coach Beth Burns, who has led San Diego State to two conference titles in eight years, credited her team's second-half defensive pressure.
      "When we went to our zone press, I think they kind of lost their poise a little bit," Burns said. "They got open shots, but they were hurried shots. Then we got our old magic back.
      "This is the finest defensive team I've ever coached. We make things happen, and we find ways to win."