Jan. 14, 2009
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - Colorado State's Kandy Beemer hit seven three-pointers for a career-high 25 points to help the Rams escape with a 70-69 win over UNLV (7-9, 0-3 MWC) on Wednesday night in Mountain West women's basketball action from the Cox Pavilion. The Lady Rebels had a chance to pull out the victory after CSU (6-10, 1-2 MWC) missed a free throw with 14 seconds left, but India Chaney's jumper was off the mark, and a jump ball on the rebound gave possession to the Rams with less then a second left.
Looking for their second straight win over UNLV, the Rams started out hot from the floor, making eight of their first 10 shots, including five of six from behind the arc, to grab a 20-11 edge just over six minutes into the game. A layup from Alison Cheney would give CSU its largest lead of the game, 31-18 with six minutes to play. UNLV rallied though, and scored the final five points of the half to go into halftime down 37-32.
Following a three-pointer from Beemer to open the second half, UNLV put together an 8-0 run, with India Chaney's second straight layup tying the score at 40-40 with 17:44 left in the game. Back-to-back treys from Beemer pushed the CSU lead back to six, but UNLV hung close, and made it a one-point game, 53-52 with 13:03 to play. The Lady Rebels then went cold from the floor, going six minutes without scoring though the Rams would only extend the lead to six, 58-52.
CSU looked the put the game away off a short jumper from Beemer that made the score 70-62 with 2:45 to play. A layup from Shamela Hampton brought the lead back down to six, and then UNLV forced three straight turnovers, but couldn't capitalize on them, missing two shots and also turning the ball over once. A three-pointer from Jamie Smith cut the lead to one possession, 70-67 with 40 seconds to play. CSU then missed the front end of a one-and-one, but UNLV missed a trey on the other end. Another missed front end gave UNLV life again, and Chaney drained two free throws to make it a 70-69 game with 15 seconds left. For the third straight time, CSU would miss the front end of a one-and-one, and UNLV rebounded the ball with 14 seconds left, but had to settle for a contested jumper by Chaney.
Pacing the Lady Rebels was Chaney with a career-high tying 16 points to go along with seven rebounds, while Smith added 15 points and Erica Helms 12. Shamela Hampton was hampered by foul trouble, and finished with seven points and three rebounds before fouling out. UNLV shot 41.8% (23-of-55) for the game, 7-of-21 (33.3%) from three-point range, and was 16-of-21 at the line for 76.2%.
Beemer's 25 points were a game-high, while her seven made treys tied the Cox Pavilion record. Cheney and Minor both finished with nine points each. The Rams shot 46.6% (27-of-58) for the night, were 11-of-29 from downtown for 37.9%, but just 5-of-12 (41.7%) at the line.
UNLV will return to action on Saturday, when travels to Laramie, Wyo., to take on the Wyoming Cowgirls at 12:30 pm (PST) in a game nationally televised by The Mtn.
