Jan. 18, 2005

LAS VEGAS -

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Shocked by San Diego State 76-60 in the season opener for both teams, the UNLV women's basketball team (9-5, 0-1) returns to action Thursday night looking to gain its first conference victory of the 2004-05 season as it takes on Wyoming in Laramie at 6 pm (PST).

Picked to win the MWC in the preseason, UNLV has been wracked by injuries, and played its game at SDSU without preseason all-conference forward Sherry McCracklin (still out with an Achilles injury) and her backup, Amy Loftus (back), leaving the team with just one post player in RanDee Henry. Loftus is expected to return in the next few weeks however.

The Lady Rebels hope to get back to their scoring ways against Wyoming, as they had scored over 80 points in four straight games before being held to just 60 (including 21 in the first half) at SDSU. Though they shot well from the floor against the Aztecs, UNLV had one of its worst days of the season from both behind the arc (10.0%) and at the line (46.7%), and need to improve in both areas for them to be successful against the Cowgirls tonight.

Thursday's game is the second of three on the road to begin the MWC season for the Lady Rebels. UNLV has swept the Front Range trip only once, in its first year in the conference. Three times they have won only at Wyoming, while losing both games in the 2001-02 season. UNLV is also looking to avoid its first losing streak this season, as the Lady Rebels have yet to post back-to-back losses this year, though they also only have one win streak, a five-game that was snapped at San Diego State.