March 10, 2004
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery
Attendance for session two today was 2,248 - with today's record session one total of 2,924, the MWC Tournament women's quarterfinals totaled over 5,000 in attendance for the second straight year.
BYU and UNLV met for the fourth time in MWC Tournament history with the Cougars winning the prior three meetings. The last two MWC Tournament games between the teams have been decided by three points or less. The BYU loss to UNLV marks the first time in five years the Cougars lost a quarterfinal game in the MWC Tournament-the Cougars had made it to the finals each of the past four years.
Eleven of BYU's 14 losses this season were by eight points or less.
BYU matched a season-low with just five three-point attempts vs. the Rebels. UNLV ranks second in the MWC for three-point field goal percentage-defense this season.
RanDee Henry rattled off eight straight points in the first half to give UNLV a 25-14 lead. Henry teamed up with Sherry McCracklin to score 15 of the Rebels' first 27 points of the game. (Henry and McCracklin of UNLV teamed up for 45 points and 33 rebounds in a win vs. BYU Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, and 25 points and 19 boards in a win Mar. 6 at Provo.)
UNLV freshman Kameca Simmons matched her career-high with 17 points vs. BYU, hitting 7-of-11 field goals.
UNLV outrebounded BYU by an average of 15.5 boards per game in the first two meetings this season, but the Cougars held a 19-18 advantage in rebounding by halftime of today's game. UNLV recovered to win the rebounding battle 34-30.
The Cougars made six straight shots early in the second half and took a 36-34 lead with 14:11 remaining, marking the first lead for the Cougars in the game since a 4-3 advantage at 17:50 of the first half. UNLV answered with a 9-0 run to regain the lead 43-36 with 11:12 to play and, despite BYU making 14 of their first 16 shots in the second half, the Rebels never trailed again.
BYU's Julie Sullivan scored double figures for the eighth straight game, including 12 points today. However, this season Sullivan was a combined 14-of-42 from the floor vs. the Rebels, including 3-of-11 in the first half today.
