Feb. 25, 2006
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - Four players scored in double figures and UNLV jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead on the way to an 80-62 win over Air Force in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Saturday night from the Cox Pavilion. The Lady Rebels, who reached 80 points for the first time this season in league play, improved to 16-9 overall, and 8-6 in the MWC, while the Falcons dropped to 12-14, 3-12 in the conference.
UNLV was dominating on offense in the opening 20 minutes, opening up a 43-23 halftime advantage after shooting 59% (16-of-27) for the half. They hit 4-of-7 from three-point range, mostly thanks to Brittney Thomas, who came off the bench and hit her first four shots, including three from long range.
Air Force held the lead twice, at 2-0 and 6-4. With the score 9-8 in favor of UNLV, a 12-4 Lady Rebel run pushed the edge to nine, 21-12, on a Thomas trey at the 12:37 mark. After Air Force answered with a jumper on the other end, Thomas nailed another trey to start a 13-3 spurt over the next six minutes. Sequoia Holmes hit one-of-two at the line to give UNLV a 17-point lead, 34-17, with five minutes to play, and she again went one-of-two with six seconds to go to push the lead to 20 going into halftime.
The Falcons would not go away easily, as they held off every UNLV attempt to blow the game open. Following a three-point play by Thomas, Air Force scored six straight, including four off turnovers, to come within 12 points, 61-49 with 6:38 to play in the game. That was the closest the Falcons would come, as UNLV hit four straight at the charity stripe, and held on for the 18-point win.
Sherry McCracklin finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Thomas scored 16. Nikki Hitchens just missed her second double-double in a row after posting 13 points and nine rebounds, and Holmes added 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists. UNLV shot 50.9% (29-of-57) for the game, was 4-of-9 (44.4%) from three-point range, and made 18-of-26 at the line for 69.2%. The Lady Rebels held a 37-29 edge on the boards as well.
Pamela Findlay and Alecia Steele both posted 13 points to pace Air Force, while Brooke Cultra came off the bench with seven. The Falcons shot 45.3% (24-of-53) for the game, and turned the ball over 18 times.
UNLV plays its final home game of the regular season on Thursday, Mar. 2, hosting 23rd-ranked New Mexico on Senior Night in the Thomas & Mack Center at 7 pm.
