March 4, 2008
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - UNLV just barely missed upsetting New Mexico on UNLV's Senior Night for the third straight year, as Sequoia Holmes scored 27 points in her final regular season home game, but saw her desperation three-pointer fall short in a 68-65 loss on Tuesday night in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action from the Cox Pavilion. The loss sent UNLV to 8-20 overall, 4-11 in league play, while the Lobos improved to 16-12, 8-7 in the MWC.
After trailing by six points with less then six minutes to go, UNLV rallied and went up 62-61 on a jumper by Holmes with 1:20 left. However, Dionne Marsh converted a three-point play on the other end for a 64-62 UNM edge, and then UNLV turned the ball over on its next possession. Marsh was fouled and made two for a four-point lead, but Holmes drained a three-pointer, her fourth of the night, to bring UNLV within one, 66-65 with nine seconds to go. Amy Beggin was then fouled and made both free throws for a 68-65 lead. On the last possession of the game, the Lobo defense forced Holmes to throw up a fade-away jumper from three-point range at the buzzer that fell short, giving New Mexico the victory.
New Mexico looked like it would take control in the first half, as with the Lady Rebels leading 16-13, UNM scored 11 unanswered points over a 5:19 span. Four different Lobos scored during the run, which was capped by an Angela Hartill jumper that made the score 24-16 with 2:24 left in the clock. The Lobos would take a 28-20 edge into halftime.
A 9-0 run to begin the second half brought UNLV right back into the game, with Holmes' three-pointer giving the Lady Rebels a 29-28 edge just over three minutes into the second half. New Mexico recovered, and following a technical foul on the Lobo bench, scored 16 of the next 23 points in the game, turning a 33-33 game into a 49-40 advantage with 9:07 to play.
The lead hovered between three to six points for the next seven minutes. With New Mexico up 59-55, Shamela Hampton hit a layup with 2:53 to play, then converted a three-point play with 2:20 left on the clock for a one-point edge. Brandi Kimble answered back with a jumper for a 61-60 New Mexico lead, which set the scene for the final minutes and a half.
Holmes finished with a team-high 27 points, and eight rebounds, while Hampton posted 22 points. The rest of the team combined for just 16 points, as the next highest scorer was Shannon Oberg with five points. UNLV shot 41.1% (23-of-56) from the floor, 40% (6-of-15) from three-point range, but were hurt badly at the free throw line, where it made just 13-of-25 (52%). The Lady Rebels were outrebounded 33-29, but did force 19 turnovers.
Marsh also scored 27 points to lead the Lobos, with Kimble adding 15 points and Eileen Weissmann nine. The Lobos shot 59.1% (26-of-44) for the night, made 3-of-7 from downtown for 42.9%, and connected on 13-of-19 at the free throw line for 68.4%.
UNLV will finish the regular season on Saturday, March 8, when it travels to Salt Lake City to face the 15th-ranked Utah Utes in a 2 pm (PST) contest.
