Jan. 30, 2003
Box Score
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - With 11 seconds remaining in regulation, Air Force's Shawna Neff scored off a layup in traffic to give the Falcons a 73-72 conference victory over UNLV Thursday night at Clune Arena.
Foul trouble plagued the Lady Rebels throughout the game as the team racked up 11 of their 20 in the first half alone. With under a minute left before the break, Air Force's Jennifer Roesch sank back-to-back three-pointers from downtown to give the Falcons a 41-40 lead at halftime.
In the first half, UNLV had led by as many as 12 points on 64 percent shooting, but would drop to 50 percent (17-34) from the floor (17-34), while Air Force shot an improved 56 percent (15-27). Senior All-America candidate Constance Jinks (Chicago, Ill.) scored 12 of her game-high 22 points of the night before the interval.
Both teams traded leads eight times in the second half of play. The Lady Rebels managed to push out to a 12-2 run in the middle of the stretch, but where matched three times by the Falcons. A jumper by Neff with 1:53 to go, built up Air Force's momentum and tied the game for the third time of the half, 71-71. Missed attempts from the field and free throw line by the Lady Rebels followed in the final minute and a half leading to the upset.
All 11 Lady Rebels on the roster saw minutes with two scoring in double-digits along with Jinks. Sophomore Sherry McCracklin (Hazel Crest, Ill.) registered her third career double-double with 20 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while junior InFini Robinson (Detroit, Mich.) added 11 points off the bench going a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point line.
Air Force (7-10, 1-3 MWC) captures only its second win in 13 all-time meetings versus UNLV and only its second league win since the Mountain West Conference's formation in 1999-2000. Leading the Cadets to victory were Roesch and Neff, who both turned in a team-high 17 points. Emily Gross chipped in 11.
UNLV (11-6, 2-2 MWC) continues on its conference road swing this weekend traveling to Albuquerque next to take on league rival New Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. (MST). The game can be heard live in Las Vegas on KSHP 1400 AM radio and via an Internet broadcast link which can be accessed on www.unlvrebels.com beginning at 6 p.m. (PST).
