Nov. 15, 2009
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - UNLV played a close game for the first 10 minutes against a much taller Nebraska squad, but the Huskers (2-0) hit six first-half three-pointers and opened the second half with an 18-4 run to spoil the Lady Rebels' (1-1) home opener 73-51 on Sunday afternoon in women's college basketball action from the Cox Pavilion.
Nebraska scored the afternoon's first four points, and led 7-6 off a three-pointer from Cory Montgomery. Jamie Smith gave UNLV a four-point edge after hitting a jumper and a trey in an 18-second span for a 11-7 lead with 14:21 left in the first half. An Erica Helms trey at 12:21 kept the lead at four points, 14-10. Nebraska answered with a 12-0 run, capped by a pair of long range shots for a 22-14 lead for the visitors with 10:03 left in the first half. A pair of Kelli Thompson free throws brought UNLV to within four, 25-21, though that was the closest the Lady Rebels would come the rest of the game.
The Huskers ended the last seven minutes of the half on an 11-2 run for a 36-23 halftime lead. Following another pair of free throws from Thompson after halftime, the Huskers' 18-4 run gave them their largest lead of the game at 25, 54-29 with 14:57 to play. UNLV was able to cut the lead down to 18 twice, the last with 1:25 left on a Thompson trey, before the Huskers scored the final four points of the game for the 22-point victory.
Foul trouble hurt the Lady Rebels, as two players fouled out while Smith received her fourth early in the second half. Smith was one of two players in double figures for UNLV, as she posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Thompson added 11 points, while Helms finished with nine points. UNLV was held to 28.3% shooting for the game (15-of-53), and knocked down 4-of-18 (22.2%) from three-point range, and 17-of-24 at the line for 70.8%. UNLV was outrebounded by a 44-37 margin, while both teams finished with 23 turnovers. The Lady Rebels also recorded a double-digit steals game for the second time this year with 11.
Dominique Kelley and Yvonne Turner both posted 17 points to lead the Huskers. Montgomery added 14 points, and Kelsey Griffin chipped in nine points and 13 rebounds. Nebraska shot 43.3% (26-of-60) from the floor, made 9-of-27 (33.3%) from behind the arc, and was 12-of-18 (66.7) at the free throw line.
UNLV will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 19 as the Lady Rebels go to California to face Sacramento State in a 7 pm tipoff.
