Feb. 17, 2010
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - A 17-minute stretch without a made field goal sent UNLV to one of its lowest offensive outputs in school history in a 51-35 loss to Utah in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action on Wednesday night in the Cox Pavilion. The loss broke the Lady Rebels' two-game win streak, sending them to 12-14 on the season, 5-7 in the conference while the Utes improved to 15-9, 6-5 in the MWC.
The combined total of 86 points by both teams tied for the lowest ever in a UNLV game, along with Utah's 49-37 win at UNLV on Jan. 13, 2007. That game was also in the Cox Pavilion, and just like three years ago, the first half was a low scoring affair for both teams. UNLV and Utah ended the first half tied at 17-17, the lowest combined score in a half since that Jan. 13 contest, which UNLV led 18-11 at halftime.
UNLV actually scored on its first two shots, and held an 8-0 lead almost nine minutes into the game, as Utah was forced into 11 misses from its first 12 shots. The edge was 15-9 in favor of the Lady Rebels off a Mia Bell layup at the 5:59 mark. A 5-0 run from the Utes, off a three-pointer and a layup, cut the UNLV edge to one before Kelli Thompson answered back with a layup at the 2:44 mark, making the score 17-14.
That layup would be the last field goal for over 17 minutes for the Lady Rebels, who would go on to miss their next 26 shots from the floor. Sasha McKinnon's trey in the final minute of the first half for Utah tied the score at 17-17 going into the break, and the Utes opened the second half with 13 unanswered points over a 7:45 span. The 16-0 run going back to the half-ending trey put the Utes up 30-17 at the 12:15 mark on Halie Saywer's second straight layup. Erica Helms broke the scoring drought for UNLV by going one of two at the free throw line to cut the edge to 30-18 at the 11:21 mark, but Utah would take control with an 8-0 run. Kalee Whipple's jumper gave Utah its largest lead of the game, 38-18 with 5:49 to play.
The Ute lead was at 17 when UNLV reeled off seven straight points, closing within 43-33 off a pair of Jamie Smith free throws with 1:58 to play. Utah countered with a layup from Whipple to begin an 8-0 run, while Helms scored the game's final basket with three seconds left on the clock.
Helms paced UNLV with 17 points, while Thompson was next with eight. Smith finished with four points and 11 rebounds. UNLV shot 19.4% (12-of-62) as a team, was 2-of-19 from three-point range for 10.5%, and made 9-of-13 at the free throw line for 69.2%. UNLV was outrebounded by a 47-46 margin, and turned the ball over 15 times, but were outscored on points off turnovers by a 14-4 margin.
Whipple led Utah with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Sawyer also finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 points. Utah shot 35.1% (20-of-57) from the floor, was 3-of-17 for 17.6% from three-point range, and 8-of-15 at the charity stripe for 53.3%.
UNLV now goes on the road for a Saturday afternoon contest against Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo., with a 1 pm (PST) tipoff.
