Jan. 23, 2010
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - UNLV held a seven-point halftime lead, but TCU opened the second half on a 21-0 run on the way to an 81-61 victory over the Lady Rebels in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon in the Cox Pavilion. UNLV dropped to 8-12 overall, 1-5 in league play with the loss, while the Lady Frogs improved to 14-4, 4-1 in the MWC.
TCU held an 11-point lead in the first half, going up 19-8 on a jumper from Starr Crawford with 12:01 on the clock. A layup from Jamie Smith and two three-pointers from Mia Bell helped get the Lady Rebs back in the game, with Bell's second trey making the score 21-16 with 10:28 left in the half. After a basket by Eboni Mangum, UNLV scored nine unanswered points. Seven of the nine points came from India Chaney, who would finish with a season-high 13, and her three-pointer and steal and layup that capped the run gave UNLV a 25-23 edge with 5:28 to play. The score was tied at 27-27 when Smith and Erica Helms knocked down back-to-back treys, putting UNLV up 33-27 with three minutes left in the half, and the home team would go into halftime with a 35-28 edge. Smith and Chaney each scored 11 points in the first half for UNLV.
The second half saw UNLV's shooting touch fall apart, as the Lady Rebs were held to 25.8% (8-of-31). TCU on the other hand made 17-of-29 in the second 20 minutes for 58.6%, including seven of its first nine shots following halftime to go along with a four-of-four performance at the free throw line. UNLV meanwhile missed eight straight shots during the opening 7:33, and turned the ball over nine times, leading to the 21-0 Frog run that turned a seven-point deficit into a 49-35 edge with 12:27 left in the game.
UNLV was able to cut the lead down to 12 twice, the second time on a long Amanda Anderson jumper from the baseline to make it a 51-39 game with 11:41 to play. TCU came right back with a 9-2 spurt to extend the lead to 19, and would lead by as much as 22 before finishing with the 81-61 victory.
Smith posted her second straight double-double as she finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Lady Rebs. Chaney finished with 13 points and five steals, while Helms added 12. UNLV shot 35% (21-of-60) from the floor, was 8-of-24 (33.3%) from behind the arc, and made 11-of-14 at the free throw line for 78.6%. UNLV was forced into 24 turnovers, leading to a 25-15 edge for TCU on points off turnovers, and the Lady Rebs were also outrebounded by a 41-36 margin.
Emily Carter led all scorers with 19 points for TCU. Crawford and Magnum both added 15 points, while Helena Sverrisdottir posted 13. TCU made 28-of-60 from the floor for 46.7%, was 5-of-19 from three-point range (26.3%), and 20-of-25 for 80% from the free throw line.
UNLV will return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 6 pm (PST) when it faces Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo., in a game televised by The Mtn.
