March 9, 2002
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - BYU didn't let down as the third-seeded Cougars defeated the fourth-seeded UNLV women's basketball team, 61-46, to win the 2002 EAS Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball Championship title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV committed 12 turnovers in just the first half and could not get into a rhythm all game long. The Cougars took advantage of those factors and, besides two ties, held the lead for the entire way. Four BYU players scored in double digits with senior Melanie Pearson burying 7-of-16 field goals for a team-high 15 points.
Junior Constance Jinks (Chicago, Ill.), however, led all scorers with a game-high 19 points and six rebounds. Senior All-America candidate Linda Fr?hlich (Oldendorf, Germany) turned in 11 points and four rebounds before fouling out with 3:30 remaining in regulation.
Fr?hlich and Jinks were named to the MWC All-Tournament team along with tournament MVP Erin Thorn (BYU), Jennifer Leitner (BYU) and Angie Gorton (Colorado State). This was the first time in the conference's three-year history that a No. 3 seed and No. 4 seed reached the finals of the postseason league tournament.
UNLV (23-7) awaits its postseason fate as 64 teams will be selected on Sunday, March 10 for the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Rebels, who have received votes in both major top 25 polls all season long and two victories over a top-25 opponent this season, have a good chance at an at-large bid.
ESPN will broadcast the 2002 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Selection Show at 2 p.m. (PST). A complete tournament bracket can be accessed on www.ncaachampionships.com.
ON THE BIG SCREEN: The Lady Rebels will view the 2002 NCAA Women's Selection Show at the ESPN Zone located in the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. The viewing will be open to the public and the Lady Rebels will be on hand to sign posters after the field of 64 is announced.
