Jan. 11, 2011
Box Score
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV had two possessions in the final 20 seconds to force overtime, but misfired on two three-point attempts as San Diego State escaped the Cox Pavilion with a 55-52 Mountain West Conference women's basketball victory on Tuesday night. UNLV actually trailed by seven points with two minutes to go before rallying to close within two, but would fall to their third straight MWC loss, dropping to 7-10 overall, 0-3 in the league. SDSU improved to 7-8, 1-2 in the conference.
The first half was mostly in UNLV's favor. With SDSU holding a 17-14 lead at the 7:51 mark, UNLV used an 11-3 run to go up by five. Sandrine Nzeukou scored the last four points of the run, with her basket with 4:02 to go in the opening stanza putting the Lady Rebels up by a 25-20 score.
UNLV then went cold from the field, and San Diego State took advantage by scoring the final seven points of the first half. The Aztecs then scored 10 of the first 11 of the second half, to combine for a 17-1 run over a nine-minute span. SDSU took an 11-point lead on a Paris Johnson layup with 15:54 to go, and extended the lead to 12 on a three-pointer from Courtney Clements at the 14:18 mark for a 40-28 edge.
Back-to-back three-pointers from India Chaney cut the Aztec lead in half to 40-34. SDSU pushed its lead back to seven three more times, but UNLV would not go away, closing to within three at 41-38, and then at 47-45 on another Chaney shot from three-point land. UNLV could not force a tie however, and saw the visitors again take a seven-point edge, this time on a pair of Clements free throws for a 54-47 lead.
The Lady Rebels had one final run, with Erica Helms nailing a three-pointer with two minutes to play to make the score 54-40. After two missed SDSU free throws, Nzeukou made two for the Lady Rebs to make it a 54-52 game going into the final minute. UNLV then came up with a steal, but could not get a shot off on the other end, resulting in a shot clock violation. UNLV got one more chance when Clements made just one of two at the line with 10 seconds to go, but Helms' three-point try at the buzzer was off the rim.
The biggest key to the loss for UNLV was defensive play in the post by SDSU, as the Aztecs would finish the game with a Cox Pavilion record 14 blocks. That also tied for the most-ever in a MWC game. The Lady Rebels finished the night shooting 29.6% (21-of-71) from the floor, and was not any better from outside, hitting 5-of-18 from behind the arc for 27.8%. UNLV was awarded just eight free throws total for the game, connecting on five for 62.5%.
Nzeukou paced UNLV with her first double-double of the season, 16 points and 10 rebounds. Chaney posted nine points, while Ta'Nitra Byrd added eight off the bench. UNLV did hold a 45-37 edge on the boards, and lost for the first time this season when forcing more turnovers (24) then it committed (17).
The Aztecs were led by Clements' 16 points. Johnson was next with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Jessika Bradley posted 10 points, nine rebounds. SDSU shot 45.2% (19-of-42) for the game, was 7-of-18 from three-point land (38.9%), but made only 10-of-21 at the free throw line for 47.6%.
UNLV returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 15, when it hosts Air Force at 3 pm in the Cox Pavilion.
