Nov. 22, 2011
Box Score
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV junior guard and Las Vegas native Mia Bell scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Lady Rebels to a 74-67 win over UTSA in women's college basketball action at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday afternoon. With the win, the Lady Rebels are off to their first 5-0 start since the 2000-01 season, while the Roadrunners dropped to 1-3.
UNLV led by as much as 12 in the first half, and seven at halftime, but UTSA would not go away easily. With the Lady Rebs up 40-30 four minutes into the second half, the Roadrunners scored nine unanswered to close within 40-39 at the 13:52 mark. Bell answered with a trey, but UTSA then scored six of the next seven points of the game, off a pair of treys, to grab its first lead of the game at 45-44. After both teams traded baskets, Bell knocked down back-to-back shots, part of an 8-0 run, and UNLV would lead by as least four the rest of the way.
In the first half, the game was tied at 5-5 when UNLV reeled off a 12-0 over a 4:09 span. Five different players scored for UNLV during that run, capped by two Kelli Thompson free throws to make it a 17-5 contest with 13:06 on the clock. The lead was 26-15 in favor of UNLV when the Roadrunners used a 6-0 run to climb back into the game. Jalisa Montgomery's layup at 5:04 made it a 26-21 contest, though UNLV would take a 31-24 advantage into half.
The Lady Rebels were paced by Bell and Jamie with 27 and 19 points, respectively. Lenita Sanford was next with eight points, six rebounds, and her second straight four-block game. As a team, UNLV shot a season-high 45.5% (20-of-44), was 9-of-15 for 60% from three-point range, and 25-of-36 at the line for 69.4%. For the first time this season UNLV did not outrebound its opponent (both finished with 37), but the Lady Rebels did record 10 steals and six overall blocks in the game.
UTSA was led by Ashley Spaletta's 18 points. Judy Jones scored 13 points, and Mannasha Bell added a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds. UTSA shot 34.9% (22-63), 16-of-22 at the line for 72.7%, and 7-of-19 from downtown for 36.8%.
UNLV continues its five-game homestand on Saturday, Nov. 26, in the first-game of the Lady Rebel Round-Up, with a first round matchup against Northeastern at 1 pm in the Cox Pavilion. Georgetown or Georgia would be the opponent on Sunday.
