Nov. 7, 2006

LAS VEGAS - Two UNLV women's basketball players, Kameca Simmons and Samantha Stickler, will be out at least a month with injuries, while a third, Tiffani Burries, will miss the entire season, the athletics department announced on Tuesday.

Simmons, a senior and potential starter at point guard, will miss at least four weeks after breaking her right forearm on Sunday. She had appeared in 88 games coming into this season, and averaged 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists last year.

Stickler, a 6-6 redshirt freshman center, is also expected to miss at least four weeks following successful surgery on Nov. 3. She suffered a lateral mensicus tear in her right knee during preseason practices.

Burries, one of the most experienced returning post players on the squad, is out for the entire season because of dislocations of both shoulders. The senior center had appeared in a total of 35 games for UNLV, and made seven starts for the Lady Rebels in the second half of the season last year.

UNLV will play the Melbourne Roos in an exhibition game on Thursday at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion, before opening the regular season against Pepperdine on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 pm in the Thomas & Mack Center, in a game that will be televised by the mtn.