Jan. 21, 2006
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - Utah's Kim Smith scored a game-high 21 points and Shona Thorburn was eight-of-eight at the line in the final five minutes to hold off UNLV's second half rally in a 59-51 win in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Saturday night from the Cox Pavilion. The loss for the Lady Rebels snapped their four-game home win streak, sending them to 11-5 on the year, 3-2 in league play, while Utah improved to 13-4 overall, 4-2 in the MWC.
The Utes began the game on fire, hitting their first three shots for a 7-0 lead just 1:52 into the first half. UNLV stepped up the defense, holding Utah without a point for the next six minutes to climb back into the game, closing within 7-6 on a Kisha Lee jumper. Utah would not give up the lead however, though the Lady Rebels did tie the game once, at 17-17 on a Lee jumper with 5:20 to play in the half. A short jumper from Smith with 22 seconds left in the half put Utah up 22-19 to go into the halftime break.
Utah opened the second half with a trey from Heidi Carlsen, and would push its edge to nine points, 34-25 with 13:08 to play. UNLV then scored nine unanswered points, with Lee's three-pointer making the score 34-32 with 11:17 on the clock. Though Carlsen hit another trey to push the lead back to five, UNLV looked in position to cut the edge back to two points after it appeared Nikki Hitchens converted a layup and had a chance at a three-point play. However, she was called for a charge instead, and Utah took advantage of the turn of events on the other end with a Smith layup, part of a 6-0 Ute run, and UNLV never came as close again.
UNLV wouldn't give up, and used a full court press to help them cut the lead down to seven twice in the final three minutes, but the Utes hit eight free throws in the final three minutes to hold onto the victory.
Lee led UNLV with 16 points, and the junior forward was 6-of-7 from the floor, including 3-of-4 on three-pointers after having just hit one career three-pointer prior to tonight's game. Sheena Moore added 12 points, while Sherry McCracklin posted 11 points and nine rebounds. UNLV was held to 33.9% from the floor, and hit just 3-of-12 from three-point range. The Lady Rebels were also outrebounded by five, 38-33, though they did force 22 turnovers, and finished with 12 steals and four blocks.
Joining Smith in double figures for Utah was Thorburn with 16, as she was 11-of-12 at the line, and Carlsen with 12 points. Utah shot 38.6% for the game, but was 6-of-13 from behind the arc, and 19-of-24 at the line.
UNLV returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo, with a 6 pm (PST) tipoff.
