Nov. 13, 2011
Final Stats
IOWA CITY, Iowa (UNLVRebels.com) - Down by eight midway through the second half, UNLV used a 21-5 run over the next 10 minutes on the way to a 69-59 upset of host Iowa in the championship game of the Iowa Hawkeye Challenge in women's college basketball on Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Junior guard Kelli Thompson, who scored 15 of her game-high 26 points during the game-clinching run, was named the Tournament's MVP for UNLV, who improved to 2-0 on the season. Iowa, who was receiving votes in both top 25 polls, dropped to 1-1, and lost in its Hawkeye Challenge for only the sixth time in the 26-year history of the tournament.
Just like it did in the first round win over Butler, UNLV used a smothering defensive performance to open up a double-digit first half lead. Iowa was held to under 20 percent shooting for most of the first half, while the combination of Thompson and Jamie Smith helped UNLV out to a 13-point edge, 21-8. Iowa held the first lead thanks to a Kamille Wahlin trey, and after two Thompson free throws, Wahlin hit a jumper for a 5-2 Iowa edge. UNLV then scored eight straight, which included back-to-back treys from Thompson and a layup from Smith. Smith would add five more points during the run, while Sandrine Nzeukou converted a layup with 8:47 to go for a 21-8 edge.
Smith was called for her second foul on the next play though, while Thompson was hurt in a collision, and both came to the bench for several minutes. Iowa took advantage of that to reel off 13 unanswered points to tie the game at 23-23. Jamie Printy scored seven points during the run, and after Mia Bell put UNLV back ahead by two on a layup, Printy answered with a trey for a 26-25 Iowa edge. The lead switched hands twice more, and after Iowa went up four, Thompson closed out the half with a NBA range three-pointer at the buzzer to bring UNLV within 31-30 going into halftime.
Iowa began the second half on fire, hitting five quick shots to open up a 41-33 edge after four minutes of play, with six points again coming from Printy. The Hawkeyes would lead by as much as nine, 45-36, and it was a 49-41 score following a layup from Wahlin with 12:50 to play. The Hawkeyes would make only one field goal over the next 10 minutes however, while Thompson started to heat up. After Nzeukou converted a three-point play, Thompson followed with nine straight points, capped by a three that put UNLV up 53-52. A pair of Printy free throws gave Iowa its last lead of the game, 55-54, and on the other end, Markiell Styles answered with a short jumper to put UNLV back ahead for good, 56-55 with 6:01 to play. UNLV then closed down on the boards, outrebounding Iowa by 10 over the final five minutes of the game, while scoring seven unanswered points, six from Thompson, to open up a 62-54 lead with 1:26 on the clock. Iowa managed to cut the lead down to five with another Printy trey, but the Lady Rebels made five of six at the line to close out the 10-point win.
Thompson finished the game shooting 10-of-19 and was 4-of-9 from three-point range, while Nzeukou joined her on the all-tournament team with her second straight double-double, 13 points and 15 rebounds. Smith also posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, and Lenita Sanford added 10 points, just missing her first career double-double with nine rebounds. UNLV shot 40.7% (24-of-59) for the game, was 6-of-17 from three-point land for 35.3%, and 15-of-21 at the line for 71.4%. UNLV held a commanding 49-29 edge on the boards, and came up with 10 steals.
Iowa shot just 35% (21-of-60), one day after shooting over 50% in its win over Harvard. The Hawkeyes were 7-of-27 from three-point range, and a perfect 10-of-10 at the line. Printy finished with 25 points, while Wahlin added 15, and Kelly Krei nine. No Hawkeye finished with more then five rebounds in the game.
UNLV next returns to Las Vegas to begin a five-game homestand. First up will be a Wednesday, Nov. 16 contest against UC Riverside at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion.
