Jan. 25, 2006

Box Score

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV let a 21-point edge evaporate to just three points, but Sequoia Holmes' three-point play with 50 seconds to go sparked a 7-0 run to end the game and give the Lady Rebels a 66-56 win at Air Force in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Wednesday night from Clune Arena. With the win, the Lady Rebels improved to 12-5, and are tied for third in the league at 4-2, while the Falcons dropped to 10-8, and 1-6 in MWC play.

UNLV, who led from start-to-finish, hit its first eight shots from the field on the way to a 21-13 lead. Lady Rebel turnovers kept Air Force close, as they were forced into 11 in the first half. Alecia Steele brought the Falcons to within three, 23-20, on a jumper with 7:15 to play. The Lady Rebels then ended the half on a 16-4 spurt, and took a 39-24 lead into halftime. UNLV finished the first half shooting 66.7% (16-of-24) from the floor, and held Air Force to just 35.5% (11-of-31).

The Lady Rebels came out strong to begin the second half, with Faye Muller hitting back-to-back jumpers to give UNLV its largest lead of the game, 54-33 with 10:58 on the clock. Again the Falcons fought back into the game due to turnovers, as they forced seven over the next nine minutes and held UNLV to just three points. Air Force scored 23 points over the nine-minute span, with Steele's layup making the score 59-56 with 1:49 to play.

On the other end, UNLV missed its next two shots, but came up with big offensive rebounds after each miss by Sherry McCracklin and Muller. Holmes then drove down the right baseline and converted a layup while drawing a foul. Her free throw with 50 seconds on the clock gave UNLV a 62-52 edge. Air Force came down looking for a three-pointer, but the Lady Rebels would not give them a clear look, and forced a shot clock violation. Muller added a layup, and Moore scored on a steal from Muller in the final 20 seconds.

McCracklin led four Lady Rebels in double figures with 16 points, while Muller posted her first career double-double, and the first double-double of the year for UNLV with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Moore registered 11 points, and Holmes added 10 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. UNLV finished the game 27-of-51 from the floor for 52.9%, held a 38-33 rebounding edge, and posted 12 steals and four blocks. However, the Lady Rebels also turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 28 Air Force points.

Steele paced Air Force with 10 points, six rebounds, and seven steals. Letricia Castillo added nine points off the bench, while Ellen Jaeschke posted eight. The Falcons were held to 37.3% from the floor, 22-of-59, but hit four-of-nine from three-point range, and turned the ball over just 14 times.

UNLV will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 28 at No. 18 New Mexico at 6 pm (PST) in Albuquerque.