March 11, 2005
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DENVER, Colo. - Top-seeded New Mexico ended the game on a 13-4 run and Sheena Moore's three-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark as the Lobos rallied for a 70-67 win over fifth-seed UNLV in the 2005 Mountain West Women's Basketball Championships Semifinals on Thursday afternoon in the Pepsi Center. UNLV falls to 16-14 with the loss, while New Mexico (25-4) advances to Saturday's championship game, against the winner of Friday's other semifinal matchup between Utah and BYU.
It was the third time this season the game between New Mexico and UNLV was decided by three points, and it was tight throughout, with 13 ties and 12 lead changes. The Lady Rebels had no answer for New Mexico's freshman forward Dionne Marsh however, as she scored a freshman MWC tournament record 27 points on 11-19 shooting, and also added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
UNLV trailed by four, 49-45, with 14:20 to play before running off a 7-0 run, capped by a three-point play from Amy Loftus for a 52-51 lead with 11:55 to play. Abbie Letz hit one of two at the other end to tie the score again, but Kameca Simmons answered back with two more free throws for UNLV for a two-point edge. The Lady Rebels steadily increased the lead to six points twice, the last on a layup from Simmons for a 65-59 lead with 5:50 to play. Marsh converted a three-point play and added a free throw to cut the lead to two, and following a charge called against Sequoia Holmes, Lindsey Arndt hit a layup to tie the game once again at 65-65 with 3:27 to play.
UNLV then missed a layup on the other end, and Judy Vogt buried a trey for New Mexico, her only field goal of the game, for a 68-65 Lobo lead. Nikki Hitchens converted on a offensive rebound for cut the lead to one, 68-67, with 58 seconds to play. Mandi Moore missed a shot for New Mexico with 30 seconds left, got her own rebound, but quickly took another shot that was rebounded by Sheena Moore. Moore attempted to drive in for a layup but was cut off, and Brittany Thomas' missed a shot with nine seconds left. Mandi Moore was quickly fouled and made two free throws for a three-point lead, 70-67, with 5.8 seconds to play. New Mexico then knocked away UNLV's inbound pass, but Candace Sneed picked up the loose ball and found Moore alone in the corner, and she rushed off a shot right before the buzzer that was long off the glass.
The game was tied at 13-13 in the first half before New Mexico ran off six unanswered for a 19-13 edge. A layup from RanDee Henry keyed a 7-0 Lady Rebel run, with Simmons layup giving them a 20-19 edge with 7:22 left. With the score tied at 24-24, another 7-0 UNLV run pushed the lead up to 31-24 on a Hitchens three-point play with 3:43 to go. Marsh then brought New Mexico back, scoring six straight to key 10 unanswered points for the Lobos, with Abbie Letz layup making the score 34-31 with 19 seconds to play. Sheena Moore buried a trey to end the half and knot the score at 34-34.
Sheena Moore led UNLV with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Holmes added 14 points and Hitchens 11. Henry was held to just six points and three rebounds after being limited by foul trouble. UNLV shot 43.9% for the game, and were 13-of-14 at the line (92.9%), but were outrebounded 38-35, and forced New Mexico into just four turnovers.
In addition to Marsh, Arndt finished with 12 points and Letz chipped in 10 for the Lobos. New Mexico shot 43.1% for the game, and finished with 20 assists.
The Lady Rebels will find out on Sunday if they will receive a WNIT bid.
