Nov. 18, 2006

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - UNLV junior forward Sequoia Holmes scored a career-high 32 points, including 19 in the first half, but Michigan was able to rally from an eight-point deficit in the second half to claim a 68-58 victory over the Lady Rebels in women's collegiate basketball action on Saturday afternoon from the Cox Pavilion.

Michigan would use a total of 13 players in the game, which was an advantage for the Wolverines at the end of the game against a Lady Rebel squad that had just nine scholarship players dressed out for the game. Holding a two-point lead with just over two minutes to play, UM (2-1) finished the game on a 10-2 run for its first road victory in over two years. UNLV meanwhile is now 0-2 to start the year for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

The Lady Rebels came out of halftime with a two-point advantage, and increased the lead to 42-34 thanks to an 8-2 spurt over the first five minutes of the second half. The teams then traded baskets, before Krista Phillips scored five unanswered points, and Janelle Cooper buried a three-pointer with 9:57 left in the game to tie the score at 44-44. The game was tied twice more, before Holmes knocked in her second trey of the game, and Latosha Pace made one-of-two at the line for a 52-48 UNLV edge. With the Lady Rebels up 53-50, LeQuisha Whitfield converted a three-point play and made a three-pointer for the Wolverines for a 56-53 lead, their first lead since it was 32-31 in the first half.

Holmes scored on a free throw and a jumper while Phillips added a layup to bring the score to 58-56 with 2:34 left in the game. The Lady Rebels would miss a shot and turn the ball over on their next two possessions however, while Michigan got a layup from Stephany Skrba and another Whitfield three-pointer for a 63-56 lead with 1:13 on the clock. Holmes converted a jumper on the other end, but Michigan would score the final five points of the game for the 10-point victory.

The first half was a tight affair, as the lead changed hands six times, and neither team led by more then five points. Holmes began the game by scoring UNLV's first seven points for a 7-2 lead two minutes in. Michigan would then slowly overtake the Lady Rebels, and held a 23-18 edge with 7:33 to play, before Brittany Halberg sparked UNLV coming off the bench. The sophomore guard, who had scored four points in her career coming into the game, nailed a three-pointer and added a layup a minute later to kick start an 8-2 run which pushed UNLV back in front 28-27. With three minutes to play, Michigan held a 32-30 lead, but did not score again, while UNLV posted the last four points of the half to take the two-point halftime lead.

Holmes finished the game 13-of-23 from the floor for 32 points, the most by a Lady Rebel since Sheena Moore scored 34 against Minnesota in the 2004-05 season opener on Nov. 14. She also added five rebounds and five steals. The next highest scorer was Kisha Lee with nine points, while Halberg finished with a career-high seven. Faye Muller grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. UNLV shot 23-of-57 for 40.4% from the floor, and were 3-of-12 (25.0%) from three-point range. The Lady Rebels struggled at the line however, making just 9-of-19 for 47.4%. UNLV was outrebounded 37-34 for the game, and finished with 11 steals and three blocks.

Whitfield led Michigan with 19 points. Skrba also finished in double-figures with 12, while Phillips scored nine points off the bench. UM shot 47.2% (25-of-53) for the game, and were 6-of-14 from behind the arc for 42.9%. The Wolverines did struggle at the line as well however, making 12-of-20 for 60%.

UNLV continues its three-game homestand on Monday night, hosting Cal State Bakersfield at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion.