Dec. 9, 2007

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - Junior center Shamela Hampton posted a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds, and was one of four UNLV (3-6) players in double figures as the Lady Rebels won their first road contest of the season, 85-73 at UC Irvine (4-5) in women's college basketball action on Sunday afternoon.

Hampton finished the game 10-of-13 from the floor for her season-high 27 points, which led all scorers. UNLV also posted its highest offensive point total of the season, and most since scoring 89 against DePaul on Dec. 28, 2006, despite its leading scorer, Sequoia Holmes, scoring just 14 points, nine under her season average which ranked third in the nation. Also scoring in double figures was Dominique Harris with 11 and Allison Holliday with 10 points off the bench for UNLV, which shot 46% from the floor, and made a season-high 25 free throws (out of 37 attempts). The Lady Rebels also held a 48-33 edge in rebounding.

UNLV held a 42-39 edge at halftime, and quickly extended the lead to double digits thanks to an 8-0 spurt to open the second half, with six points coming from Hampton. UC Irvine kept shooting, and slowly chipped the lead down to five, 58-53 with 11:39 left in the game. Another UNLV run, this time 10-2, pushed the lead back to a 13-point lead, as a jumper from Holiday made the score 68-55 with 8:50 on the clock. The Lady Rebels kept a double-digit lead for the next three minutes, and though the Anteaters closed within six, they could get no closer, and UNLV made eight free throws over the final two minutes to claim the road victory.

In the first half the game was back and forth, with a total of 13 ties, the last coming on Stephanie Duda's two free throws with 5:55 on the clock. UNLV then opened up a lead it would not give up, scoring six straight points on jumpers from Holiday, Holmes, and Brittany Halberg. The Anteaters would score five unanswered to close within one point, but a jumper from Holiday with 14 seconds left gave UNLV a three-point edge heading into halftime.

Duda, UCI's leading scorer, was hampered by foul trouble, and played just 12 minutes before fouling out with 10 points. Miranda Forry led the Anteaters with 14 points, while Kelly Cochran posted 13 points and nine rebounds. UCI finished the game shooting 45.3% (29-64), but was 2-of-11 from three-point range, and had 20 turnovers.

UNLV remains will now break for exams, before returning to action on Dec. 20-21, when it hosts the Lady Rebel Christmas Classic in the Cox Pavilion. The first day of action will see Ball State and Liberty play at 5 pm, followed by UNLV and Austin Peay at 7:30 pm.