Dec. 3, 2009
Box Score
SAN DIEGO - Down by two in the final two minutes, UNLV scored the final seven points of the game to escape with a 71-66 win at the University of San Diego on Thursday night in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. With their third road victory of the season, the most in four years, the Lady Rebels improved to 3-4 on the season, while USD dropped to 3-5.
The Toreros went up 66-64 on Emily Hatch's jumper in the paint with 1:39 left on the clock. UNLV answered back with Erica Helms' running jumper in the lane to tie the game at the 1:23 mark, and as the Toreros brought the ball up the floor, Helms stole the ball. She took it in for a layup attempt that was missed, but Sandrine Nzeukou was there for the offensive rebound and putback that gave the edge back to UNLV 68-66. On the next possession, USD was forced to run down the shot clock before attempting a long three-pointer that was off the mark. The Toreros were awarded the offensive rebound, and on the inbounds play Helms once again came up with a steal, and USD was forced to foul. Freshman and Las Vegas native Mia Bell was sent to the line, where she drained two for a 70-66 lead. UNLV forced another missed shot, and Nzeukou made one of two at the line with 11 seconds left for the five-point lead to seal the win.
San Diego actually held an 11-point lead in the first half, but a 24-7 run over the end of the first half and start of the second brought the Lady Rebels back into the game. UNLV was on fire to begin the second half, hitting four of five from long range, with the fourth trey of the half, from Allison Holiday, gave UNLV a 46-39 lead with 16:02 on the clock. USD rallied to close within 50-49, but the lead would remain in the Lady Rebs' hands until the final four minutes. UNLV led 59-54 before an 8-0 run from the Toreros gave them a 62-59 edge with 2:55 to play, and then Bell answered back with a trey to tie the game again at 62-62.
The game was tight for the first 10 minutes, with three lead changes and five ties while neither team led by more then five points. UNLV was trailing by one, 20-19, when the Toreros put together a 10-0 run in just a 2:24 stretch. Three-pointers from Sam Child and Danesia Williamson capped the run, giving USD a 30-19 lead with 7:10 on the clock. The lead stood at 32-21 with just over five minutes left, but the Lady Rebels put together an impressive defensive performance for the rest of the half, holding the Toreros scoreless while running off eight unanswered points of their own. Jamie Smith's fastbreak layup at the halftime buzzer would bring UNLV within 32-30.
Nzeukou paced the Lady Rebels with her second career double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kelli Thompson was also in double-figures with 14 points, while Helms added nine points, five assists and four steals, and Bell finished with eight. UNLV shot 45% (27-of-60) from the floor, was 8-of-19 from three-point range for 42.1%, and connected on 9-of-12 at the line (75%). The Lady Rebels were outrebounded by a 46-32 margin, but forced 16 turnovers while committing only 11.
Morgan Henderson led USD with 16 points. Hatch and Child both added 14, with Hatch also grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds. The Torerors were held to 34.5% shooting (20-of-58), including 6-of-26 from the floor in the second half for 23.1%. USD was 6-of-17 from behind the arc for 35.3%, and made 20-of-25 from the charity stripe (80%)..
Next up for UNLV is a contest at in-state rival Nevada, Reno on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 pm in Reno.
