Dec. 5, 2004

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -

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UNLV's game at Michigan on Monday concludes a homecoming weekend for four Lady Rebels that began on Saturday in an 82-49 win at Detroit. The Lady Rebels boast three Detroit natives (RanDee Henry, Nejlah Clark, Latosha Pace), while Sheena Moore is from nearby Lansing. The two games mark UNLV's first ever in the state of Michigan, and are just their second and third in the eastern time zone under seventh-year head coach Regina Miller.

The game against the Wolverines is the fourth of the year for UNLV against the "power conferences", as the Lady Rebels have allready taken on fellow Big Ten member No. 18 Minnesota (77-69 loss), fifth-ranked North Carolina of the ACC (84-76 loss), and posted a win over South Carolina of the SEC (66-63). A possible matchup with Iowa State of the Big 12 is also on the schedule.

UNLV, hit harder by injuries then any other team in the nation thus far in the season, is finally back to almost full strength, as junior forward Nikki Hitchens (MCL) to the lineup for the first time in the Lady Rebel Shootout, while Amy Loftus and Clark both returned after missing the UCF game with injuries as well. The Lady Rebels are still without the services of preseason All-MWC senior forward Sherry McCracklin (right Achilles), out since October

With the return of Hitchens to the lineup, UNLV has looked more like the team that led the MWC in scoring last year as the Lady Rebels have averaged 79 points per game in the last three contests with her back on the court, after averaging just 64.3 ppg with her on the bench.