Jan. 23, 2008
Box Score
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Wyoming shot 55.2 percent in the second half on the way to giving UNLV its worst-ever loss in Mountain West Conference play, as the 18th-ranked Cowgirls posted an 87-39 victory in the Arena Auditorium on Wednesday night. UNLV dropped to 6-11 overall, and 2-2 in league play with the 48-point setback, which topped a 74-36 loss at Colorado State on March 5, 2003, as its biggest losing margin in a MWC game. Wyoming meanwhile improved to 17-1 overall, and 5-0 in the MWC with the victory.
The Cowgirls finished the game shooting 47.5% (28-of-59) from the floor, and were 12-26 from three-point range for 46.2%, which included making five straight at one point in the second half. UNLV on the other hand shot a season-low 20.7% (12-of-58) from the field, and were 3-of-15 from downtown for 20%.
The Lady Rebels got no help from their bench, as Wyoming held a 44-8 edge on points off the bench. All eight points for UNLV's bench came from Erica Helms, and all came in the final seven minutes of the game. Leading UNLV was Shamela Hampton with 10 points and five rebounds. Sequoia Holmes, the MWC's leading scorer coming into tonight, was held to just six points on 3-of-15 shooting. The one highlight for Holmes was with her two steals, as she became the MWC's all-time career steals leader with 238. She had entered the night tied with Erin Thorn of BYU (1999-2003) with 236.
Wyoming was paced by Justyna Podziemska with 19 points and 11 rebounds. She was one of two with a double-double, as Aubrey Vandiver posted 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Paula Elum also finished in double figures with 11, while Hillary Carlson posted nine. In all, eight players scored five or more points for the Cowgirls, who also held a 52-34 edge on the boards. One of the keys in the win, besides Wyoming's three-point shooting, was their ability to take advantage of UNLV's mistakes. Despite turning the ball over only one less time the UNLV (13-14), the Cowgirls held a 24-5 edge on points off turnovers.
UNLV will return to action on Saturday, when it hosts San Diego State at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion, in a regionally televised contest on The Mtn.
