Dec. 7, 2007

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UNLV was held without a field goal for the first 10:52 of the game while falling behind 18-1, and could get no closer then eight points the rest of the way in a 61-49 loss at UC Riverside in women's collegiate basketball action on Friday night. The Lady Rebels dropped to 2-6 on the season, while the host Highlanders squad improved to 2-5.

One of the keys in the win for UC Riverside was its defense on UNLV's Sequoia Holmes, who entered the game as the nation's third-leading scorer, averaging 24.4 ppg. She was held without a point for the first half, though she heated up after halftime and finished with 16.

The Lady Rebels were dismal on offense for the first 10 minutes, as all they could manage was a single free throw, while going 0-8 from the floor, 1-4 at the free throw line, while turning the ball over nine times. UC Riverside took advantage to open up a 17-point edge, and actually scored the first 14 points of the ball game, with eight straight from Kemie Nkele. UNLV finally got a basket at 9:13 on a layup from Shamela Hampton, who would score 10 first half points and help the Lady Rebels made a rally at the end of the half. The lead would be cut down to nine twice, the last at 2:33 on a jumper by Hampton, before the Highlanders took a 28-16 lead into halftime.

The Highlander advantage hovered between 9-14 points for the first 10 minutes of the second half. After UNLV closed within eight, 39-31 on a Hampton layup with 8:56 to play, UC Riverside did its best to put the game away, unleashing a 16-4 spurt over the next five minutes. Five different Highlanders scored during the run, with Roney Friend's free throw at 4:17 making the score 55-35, UCR's biggest lead of the game.

UNLV would make one final run, scoring eight straight to close within 57-45 with 2:28 to play. The Lady Rebels then traded two points for a free throw on the next two possessions for each team, to make the score 59-49 with 1:29 left. UNLV would not score again however, and a pair of Friend free throws accounted for the final score.

Joining Holmes in double figures was Hampton with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Erica Helms posted eight off the bench. No other Lady Rebel scored more then four. UNLV shot 34.7% (17-49) from the floor for the night, and were just 1-of-9 from three-point range for 11.1%. The Lady Rebels also struggled from the line, hitting a season-low 58.3% (14-of-24).

Nkele led all scorers with 17 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Brittany Waddell added 13 points for the Highlanders, who shot 37.3% (19-51) from the floor. They did made 33 trips to the line, and made 20 for 60.6%.

UNLV remains in California for its next game, at UC Irvine on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm.