Dec. 18, 2004
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - UNLV held off a feisty Northern Arizona team with a 15-5 run over the last seven minutes for the game for a 61-49 victory in the third game of the Duel In The Desert Tournament in Cox Pavilion on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Rebels advanced to the championship game of the Scarlet division, and will take on Iowa State in a rematch of a 2004 WNIT semifinal game at 7:30 pm.
Northern Arizona (6-3) will meet Eastern Kentucky in the consolation game of the Scarlet division at 5 pm. In the tournament's other bracket, No. 12 Texas Tech and Virginia Tech play in the Gray division championship game at 2:30 pm, while Arkansas State and Western Michigan meet in the Gray consolation game at Noon, all games are being held at the Cox Pavilion.
RanDee Henry posted game-highs of 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Nikki Hitchens scored her career high as a Lady Rebel with 19 points, and Sheena Moore poured in 14. UNLV shot just 35.5% in the first half, but bounced back to hit 51.9% from the floor in the second. They also forced the Lumberjacks into 23 turnovers, while committing a season-low 14.
UNLV began the game with an 8-0 run, before three treys from NAU brought them into a tie at 13-13. The Lumberjacks took a 19-15 lead on Nicky Eason's jumper with 4:24 left, and led 21-17 on a layup from Kandis Brown with 2:42 left. The Lady Rebels would end the half however on a 10-3 spurt over the final 2:30. Henry scored the five final points of the half, and converted a three-point play with three seconds left for a 27-24 UNLV edge.
The game was tied through the first 12 minutes of the second half, as NAU tied the scored twice but never took the lead. Following a Natalie Metz jumper to bring the Lumberjacks within one at 41-40, Henry completed another three-point play for a four-point edge. After two Alyssa Wahl free throws made the score 46-44, Hitchens scored four straight to send the Lady Rebels off on its game-ending run.
NAU was paced by Kandis Brown with 11 points, while Eason finished with 10. The Lumberjacks shot 40.8% for the game, and were 6-of-14 from three-point range, but were outrebounded 35-31.
UNLV's opponent on Sunday, Iowa State (7-1) hit a Cox Pavilion record 11 three-pointers to take an 88-76 win over Eastern Kentucky (3-5) in the day's final game. Despite being down by over 20 during the game, the Lady Colonels rallied back and cut the lead to single digits in the second half, but could not get within a tying basket. Iowa State was led by Anne O'Neil with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Megan Ronhovde added 23. Candis Cook paced EKU with 24 points, while Laura Shelton added 14.
In the first game of the day in the Gray division, Virginia Tech (6-2) finished the first half with an 11-0 run for a 33-22 halftime advantage, and led by as many as 20 in the first half on the way to the 72-57 victory over Western Michigan (1-6). Three Hokies all finished with 14 points (Kerri Gardin, Carrie Mason, Erin Gibson), while Gardin added a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. Carrie Moore paced WMU with 17 points. Twelfth-ranked Texas Tech (6-1) placed five players in double-figures on the way to an 87-53 win over Arkansas State (4-4) in the day's second game. The Lady Raiders held a 53-28 edge on the boards, and shot 52.5% in the victory. Alesha Robertson led all scores with 21 points, while Cisti Greenwalt posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Adrianne Davie was the lone Lady Indian in double figures with 14 points.
