Dec. 6, 2008
Box Score
LOS ANGELES - Loyola Marymount's Cassady Moore and Alex Cowling combined for 27 by halftime and the Lions held UNLV to just 16% shooting in the first half on the way to an 84-68 win over the Lady Rebels on Saturday afternoon from Gersten Pavilion. The loss sent UNLV to 4-3 on the year, while LMU remained perfect at home at 4-0, and improved to 7-1 on the season.
Moore began the game on fire for LMU, hitting her first three shots and added three free throws to score the first nine points for the home team, giving them a 9-6 edge with 15:21 left in the first half. A three-pointer from Erica Helms tied the game, and a pair of Shamela Hampton free throws gave UNLV its only lead of the game, 11-9 with 14:35 on the clock. LMU countered back with a 14-0 run over the next 6:21. Eight straight points from Cowling, including a trey and a three-point play capped the run, making the score 23-11 with 8:12 on the clock.
Raquel Jupiter's layup broke the scoring drought for UNLV at 7:20, but Cowling started another LMU run, scoring the first eight of a 10-2 run, including two more three-pointers, to give the Lions its largest lead of the game, 33-15 with 3:17 left in the half. The Lady Rebels finished the half shooting just 6-of-17 from the floor (16.2%), and their 17 points were the fewest in the first half since scoring 16 in an 87-39 loss at No. 18 Wyoming on Jan. 23, 2008.
The lead increased to as high as 21 for LMU, 43-22 with 17:13 to play. UNLV kept fighting though, and eventually closed the gap to 13 points, 74-61 with 3:30 left to play in the game. Six straight points from the Lions would seal the win. The teams actually both scored 51 points in the half, but LMU excelled from long range, making 6-of-8 from three-point range over the final 20 minutes.
Hampton scored 26 points, including 22 in the second half, to lead the Lady Rebels, and added a career-high six steals. Helms was next with 13 points, while Jamie Smith just missed her first career double-double, posting nine points and a career-best 10 rebounds. UNLV shot 30.7% (23-of-75) for the game, was 6-of-23 for 26.1% from three-point range and made 16-of-24 at the line for 66.7%. The Lady Rebels were outrebounded 50-39, and outscored 34-6 on bench points.
Cowling finished with 26 points for LMU, hitting on 11-of-12 from the floor. Moore added 20 points, while Renahy Young finished with 16. The Lions shot 50% (31-of-62) for the game, were 9-of-18 for 50% from three-point range, and made 13-of-16 at the line for 81.3%.
UNLV will now take a week off for exams, before returning to action with its third straight road game, at Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., on Monday, Dec. 16 at 7 pm.
