Dec. 2, 2006
Box Score
CEDAR CITY, Utah - For the second straight game UNLV struggled shooting from both the floor and the line, dropping its first road contest of the year 56-52 at Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon in women's collegiate basketball action from the Centrum Arena. The Lady Rebels dropped to 2-4 with the loss, while Southern Utah improved to 2-5 on the season.
UNLV shot a season-low 28.3% (17-of-60) for the game, and was just 13-of-22 at the line for 59.1%. Southern Utah on the other hand was 21-of-49 from the floor for 43%, and made 11-of-14 from the charity stripe for 79%.
Southern Utah led almost the entire game, beginning with a 10-0 spurt to begin the contest. UNLV finally got on the scoreboard five minutes into the first half on a Shamela Hampton jumper. The Lady Rebels would slowly climb back into the game, closing to within two, 15-13 on an Allison Holiday three-pointer with 10 minutes left in the half. The lead was extended back to eight points near the end of the half, though Hampton scored with thirty seconds left to make the SUU lead 30-24. Holiday then stole the ball and appeared to have converted a layup and drawn a foul, but instead was whistled for a charging foul instead, and UNLV went into the halftime break down six.
UNLV's pressure defense helped them climb back into the game in the second half, tying the score at 35 on a layup from Faye Muller. The game remained tight the rest of the half, with UNLV using a 5-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 45-44, on a Hampton layup with six minutes to play. The Thunderbirds countered however with a 6-0 spurt for a five-point edge. UNLV scored five straight to tie the game for the final time at 50-50, but Muller missed the second of two free throws that could have given the Lady Rebels a lead, and Silvia Da Silva hit a jumper for a two-point lead. UNLV missed a shot and turned the ball over on its next two possessions, and Da Silva was four-of-four at the line to extend the lead to six points with 11 seconds left to seal the win.
Sequoia Holmes led all scorers with 22 points, but fouled out in the final minute. Hampton tied her career-high with 12 points, while Muller finished with six points and 12 rebounds. The Lady Rebels finished with eight steals and five blocks.
Emily Mothershed paced SUU with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Da Silvia posted 10.
UNLV returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 9, in a 4 pm contest at Long Beach State.