Feb. 26, 2005

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Abbie Letz's free throw in the final 35 seconds that hit the top of the backboard before falling in proved to be the difference, and UNLV missed two potential game-winning shots in a 68-65 loss in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon from the Pit. In front of a crowd of 16,084, UNLV rallied from a seven-point second half deficit to take a 65-64 lead, before Letz hit two free throws for a 66-65 lead with 34.3 seconds left. With the loss, its first in five games, UNLV falls to 15-11, and 6-6 in league play, while New Mexico improved to 21-4 overall, and 10-2 in league play. The game was also the fourth straight in the series that was decided by five or less points.

New Mexico opened the second half on a 16-5 run over a five-minute span to open up a 41-34 advantage. UNLV stayed close though, and after a Lindsey Arndt jumper gave the Lobos a 58-52 lead with 7:47 to play, the Lady Rebels scored seven straight points. Brittney Thomas' trey capped the run and put UNLV up 59-58 with 4:56 on the clock. The lead then changed hands three more times, and Thomas' layup with 50 seconds to play gave UNLV a 65-64 lead. Letz then drew a foul on Sheena Moore on the other end. Her first free throw hit the back of the rim, bounced up, hit the top of the backboard, and then fell back into the net to tie the game at 65-65. She drained her second attempt for a one-point New Mexico lead.

UNLV turned the ball over on the next possession as New Mexico forced a jump ball, but Mandi Moore missed both free throws and UNLV won possession on another jump ball with 17 seconds to go. Sheena Moore drove the lane with five seconds left but her shot was just off, after a scramble for the rebound, it was ruled out off UNLV. Dionne Marsh made two free throws with a second left to account for the final 68-65 score.

The Lady Rebels couldn't find their shooting range in the beginning of the game, hitting just two of their first 18 shots while falling behind 17-7. UNLV's defense began to make a difference, as Lobo turnovers keyed a 14-2 run, and UNLV took its first lead of the game 21-19 on a Sheena Moore trey, and Sequoia Holmes hit a layup in the final 10 seconds to make the score 29-25 going into halftime.

Thomas finished with a career-high 19 points for UNLV on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Moore was next in scoring with 15 points and six assists, while Holmes added 14 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Amy Loftus came off the bench to score nine points, and also grabbed five rebounds. UNLV remained stayed with the Lobos the entire game despite the worst game of RanDee Henry's career, as the senior forward was held to just 1-of-8 from the floor, and played just 18 minutes before fouling out. UNLV was held to just 28.6% (8-of-28) from the floor in the first half, but rebounded in the second to shot 48.4%, and finished at 39% for the game. The Lady Rebels were impressive from both three-point range (5-of-12, 41.7%), and the free throw line (14-of-15, 93.3%). They also forced New Mexico into 20 turnovers

Lindsey Arndt led New Mexico with 18 points and seven rebounds. Dionne Marsh added 14 points, while Letz chipped in 12. The Lobos shot 49.1% for the game, but were just 11-of-17 at the line. They did outrebound the Lady Rebels 35-33, the first time in five games UNLV lost the battle on the boards.

The Lady Rebels will finish out the regular season at home, beginning with a Thursday night contest at 7 pm against BYU, followed by a Senior Day game against Utah on Saturday at 3 pm. The Utah game will be televised by CSTV, and both games will be in the Cox Pavilion.