Nov. 28, 2008

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior center Shamela Hampton scored a career-high 31 points to help the Lady Rebels rally from an 11-point deficit to force overtime, but Eastern Washington would escape with a 70-69 victory after Brittany Halberg's last second layup fell just short in women's collegiate basketball action on Friday afternoon from the Cox Pavilion. The loss sent UNLV (3-1) to the consolation game of The Lady Rebel Round-Up, where it will face Cal State Fullerton at 11:30 am. EWU (2-2) moves into the championship game at 2 pm to face Georgia, 85-64 winners over CSU Fullerton in the first game of the tournament.

Eastern Washington held the lead for all but 3:40 of regulation, taking advantage of poor shooting by the Lady Rebels to open up a 27-20 halftime edge. UNLV made just 7-of-28 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, and missed all four attempts from downtown. The Lady Rebels' last lead in the first half was 11-10 off a Hampton jumper with 12:33 on the clock, but a 10-2 scoring run by the Eagles gave them a 20-13 advantage.

The lead grew to as high as 11, 35-24, with 16:39 to play in the second half. Hampton brought UNLV back into the game, scoring 10 points during a 14-5 run that closed the advantage to 42-40 at the 11:33 mark. Eastern Washington pushed the lead back to eight with 4:45 to play, 61-53, following a three-pointer that banked in high off the glass and a Tatjana Sparavalo layup off a steal. That would be the final basket of regulation though for the Eagles. Erica Helms and Brittany Halberg hit three-pointers to close UNLV within 61-59 with 2:06 to play. After Sparavalo went one-of-two at the line, Hampton converted a three-point play on the other end with 56 seconds to play to tie the game. Both teams missed one shot each, and the game would go to overtime.

In the extra period, UNLV hit five of six the line for a 67-64 edge with 2:39 to play. The Lady Rebels were cold on offense though, going 0-of-8 from the floor, and that helped the Eagles jump back into the lead by scoring six unanswered. Two free throws from Julie Piper put EWU up 70-67 with 53 seconds left in the game. Hampton would counter with two free throws of her own with 37 seconds left. The Eagles ran down the clock on their next possession, giving UNLV just seven seconds left to attempt a game-winning shot. Halberg drove down the left side of the court but her layup attempt fell short of the rim.

Hampton finished the game with 31 points off 9-of-15 shooting, and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Also posting a double-double was Dominique Harris with 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. The next highest scorers for UNLV were Halberg and India Chaney, both with seven each. UNLV was held to 36.7% (22-of-60) from the floor, and made 21-of-31 at the line for 67.7%. Though the Lady Rebels had just six more turnovers, Eastern Washington finished the game with a 22-7 edge on points off turnovers.

Five scored in doubles figures for the Eagles, with Sparavalo pouring in a team-high 15 off the bench. Piper and Nicole Scott both posted 13 points, while Brianne Ryan had 11 points and Amy Bratvold 10. EWU shot 32.5% (25-of-77) for the game, and were just 6-of-24 from three-point range for 25%. The Eagles did hold a 49-47 rebounding edge, and turned the ball over just 12 times.