Dec. 6, 2009
Box Score
Reno, Nev. - Freshmen Mia Bell and Kelli Thompson combined for 39 points, including 24 in the second half to lead UNLV to its fourth road win of the year, a 74-63 victory at Nevada, Reno on Sunday afternoon in the Lawlor Events Center. With the win, the Lady Rebels are now 24-6 all-time against their intrastate rivals, and improve to 4-4 on the season, including a perfect 4-0 mark on the road. The win also was UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier's 250th career victory.
UNLV actually held an 18-point second half lead, 53-35 with just over 10 minutes to play off a layup from Bell. A trey in the deep corner from Johnna Ward would spark a six-minute, 21-6 rally by the Wolf Pack (5-4) that brought them within three points. A three-point play from Shavon Moore cut the Lady Reb edge to 61-58 with four minutes on the clock. That's when Thompson took over, as she went down the other end and converted a three-point play, and following a layup from UNR, Thompson drained a trey from the top of the key at the shot clock buzzer. That basket pushed the UNLV edge to 67-60 with 2:27 to play, and four straight points from Bell then sealed the win for UNLV.
The Wolf Pack were hot to start the game, hitting their first three shots for a 7-0 lead just two minutes into the contest. UNLV's defensive pressure then took over, forcing 11 turnovers over the next 10 minutes while reeling off runs of 10-0 and 12-0. Six different players scored for the Lady Rebs during that opening stretch to take the lead, with Markiell Styles' layup making the score 22-9 with 8:21 left in the first half.
Trailing 27-16, UNR scored eight unanswered points, cutting the lead to 27-24 on Nicole Williams' layup in the paint. Bell answered back with a trey for UNLV, who would score seven of the final nine points of the half to go into halftime leading 34-26. The lead stood at 41-34 five minutes into the second half before a 12-1 UNLV spurt, ignited by a jumper from India Chaney, gave UNLV its largest lead of the afternoon of 18.
Bell would finish the game with a career-high 20 points, while Thompson added 19 points, and continued her streak of at least one trey in every game this season. Also in double-figures was Erica Helms with 14 and Jamie Smith with 10 points and nine reboudns. UNLV shot 41.1% (23-of-56) for the game, was 4-of-11 (36.4%) fr0m three-point range, and made 24-of-35 at the line for 68.6%. UNLV was outrebounded by a 46-37 margin, but made up for that by scoring 25 points off 26 turnovers. UNLV also tied its season-high with 17 steals.
Ward paced the Wolf Pack with 18 points, and was followed by Moore with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Marianne Lombardi with 10. UNR was held to 37.1% (23-of-62) from the floor, and made 12-of-19 at the free throw line for 63.2%.
The final game of UNLV's three-game road stretch will be on Saturday, Dec. 12, when the Lady Rebels face Fresno State in a 2 pm contest.
