Dec. 31, 2005
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - After a sluggish first half, UNLV opened the second half on a 26-8 run over the first seven minutes to blow open the game and claim a 76-47 win over Lamar in women's collegiate basketball action on Saturday afternoon on Tarkanian Court in the Thomas & Mack Center. The Lady Rebels closed out their non-conference schedule at 8-3, while Lamar dropped to 4-5 on the year.
UNLV shot a season-high 54.7% (29-of-53) in the win, marking its second straight game shooting 50% or better from the floor. The Lady Rebels also posted season-highs in steals with 16, and finished with 11 blocks, which is the most blocks for a UNLV team in 16 years, and ties for the ninth-best mark in team history. The 21 assists in the game was also a season-high for UNLV.
It was a balanced scoring effort by UNLV, as 13 of the 14 players that appeared in the game scored. Sequoia Holmes led all scorers with 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Sheena Moore chipped in 12 points, four assists, and four steals. Shamela Hampton came off the bench with nine points, and Kisha Lee posted eight. Faye Muller posted her fourth double-rebound performance of the year with 10, and a team-high three blocks.
A trey and a layup from Moore and a tip-in by Holmes gave UNLV an early 7-2 lead, and the lead would stretch to 14 in the second half, 21-7 with 11:39 to play. The lead stood at 12, 27-15 with 8:34 on the clock, when the Lady Rebel went cold on offense, missing six shots and turning the ball over seven times over the final eight minutes of the half. The Lady Cardinals took advantage, scoring nine unanswered points, and closed within three, 27-24 with 19 seconds left on a pair of free throws, before a Holmes jumper at the buzzer made the halftime score 29-24.
UNLV came out on fire after halftime with a 9-0 run over the first 1:45 of the second half. A Brittney Thomas trey at 9:15 made the score 60-34, and made the second half scoring 31-10 in favor of the host Lady Rebels. The lead grew to as large as 30 twice, and Tiffani Burries connected on a layup at the buzzer for the final score of 76-47. UNLV would finish outscoring Lamar 47-23 in the second half.
Lamar was paced by Bridgette Brackens with 11 points, nine off three treys, while Audrea Samuel finished with 10. The Lady Cardinals were held to 34.7% from the floor, turned the ball over 24 times, and were outrebounded 34-26.
UNLV will next begin Mountain West Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 5 against Wyoming at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion.
