Dec. 1, 2007
Box Score
NEW ORLEANS - UNLV couldn't overcome a poor second half shooting effort at New Orleans on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Lady Privateers 63-50 on their home court in the final game of the Lady Privateer Invitational from the Human Performance Court. The Lady Rebels dropped to 2-5 with the loss while UNO improved to 5-3. George Washington won the first game of the day 64-57 over Samford, giving all four teams 1-1 records for the weekend.
UNO began the second half with a 30-25 edge, and scored six of the first 10 points to stake out to a 36-27 lead with just under 16 minutes to play. Sequoia Holmes hit a short jumper to close UNLV within seven, but that would be the last UNLV basket for the next eight minutes, as the Lady Rebels missed their next six shots, and turned the ball over seven times as well. New Orleans took advantage of UNLV's mistakes on offense to open up a 50-31 edge thanks to a 16-2 run, which included 10 points from UNO's Cookie Johnson. UNLV managed just a pair of Dominique Harris free throws during the stretch.
The edge was 52-36 in favor of the home squad with 6:06 to play, when a jumper by Harris began a 6-0 UNLV run, with Holmes contributing the final four points to close within 10, 52-42 with 3:47 to play. Talisha Young answered back however with a three-pointer for the Lady Privateers, and though Harris knocked down a trey on the other end to make the lead 10 again, UNO scored the next six points to seal the victory, leading 61-45 with 2:15 to play.
UNLV held an early 4-0 lead in the game, but an 9-2 run by UNO game them a 14-8 lead six minutes into the contest. The Lady Privateers would actually increase their first half edge to 10 three times, the last with 4:22 on the clock in the first half on a layup from Brittany Helms. Holmes then got UNLV back into the contest, as she scored seven points over the final three minutes to bring the Lady Rebels within five points.
Holmes finished with a game-high 23 points, and also added four rebounds and five steals. She was also named the Lady Privateer Invitational Tournament MVP after averaging 24 points for the tournament. Harris was the only other Lady Rebel in double figures with 11 points, while Shamela Hampton added nine. Thirteen players saw time for UNLV, but only five finished in the scoring column. The Lady Rebels were held to 28.6% shooting (8-of-28) for the second half, and 37.3% (19-of-51) for the game. They also struggled from three-point range (2-of-15 for 13.3%) and at the line (10-of-17 for 58.8%), while turning the ball over a season-high 29 times, which resulted in 26 UNO points.
Three players finished in double figures for the Lady Privateers, as Helm and Johnson both finished with 17 points each. Candice McGee added 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds. UNO finished the game hitting 21-of-54 at the line for 38.9%, and were 18-of-27 for 66.7% from the charity stripe, as UNLV was called for 23 fouls in the game.
UNLV returns to action on Friday, Dec. 7, at UC Riverside with a 7 pm tipoff.
