Feb. 9, 2002
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Junior Constance Jinks scored 14 of her game-high 27 points in the first half as the UNLV women's basketball team edged San Diego State, 57-49, Saturday night at the Cox Arena overcoming its biggest challenge of the season.
Jinks shot 8-of-26 from the field and went a superb 10-for-11 from the free throw line. The Chicago native helped the Lady Rebels pull away from a 46-46 tie at the 3:18 minute mark of the second half, sinking in two key free throws to extend the lead by one.
The lead would change 14 times at that point - and the Lady Rebels didn't look back for the remaining minutes of regulation. Senior Erin Johansson (Enumclaw, Wash.) dropped a 3-point bomb with 1:13 left to go to insure the team's 18th win of the season.
"This is our biggest win of the year considering our circumstances," UNLV coach Regina Miller said. "I'm so proud of the players for pulling it out against a tough San Diego State team on the road."
UNLV played without senior forward Linda Fr?hlich (Oldendorf, Germany) and sophomore center Petra Gl?ser (Amtsberg, Germany), who were declared ineligible for tonight's contest while the university and the NCAA reviews their amateur eligibility status. Along with Jinks, Fr?hlich and Gl?ser are two of the Lady Rebels' top scorers and rebounders.
Sisters Dishawn McCracklin and Sherry McCracklin (Hazel Crest, Ill.) both started the game for the first time this season. Dishawn, a junior, turned out a career-high nine points, while Sherry, a freshman on the team, grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. The elder McCracklin was fouled three times in the final minutes and completed 5-of-6 free throw attempts to seal the deal.
With the victory, UNLV improves to 18-4 overall, 6-3 MWC, which ties for third-place in the current league standings with BYU. SDSU drops to 9-12 overall, 1-7 MWC. Jamey Cox led the Aztecs in scoring with 17 points.
The Lady Rebels return home this week with 19th-ranked Colorado State ahead on Thursday, Feb. 14 and Wyoming on Saturday, Feb. 16 in the Thomas & Mack Center. Both games tip-off at 7:35 p.m. and will be broadcast locally on KENO 1460 AM radio. An Internet broadcast link will also be available on unlvrebels.com.
