Nov. 27, 2016 LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - PDF Box Score
UNLV trailed by six points in the third quarter, but used a 22-4 run to rally past Ole Miss and claim its first championship trophy in its own Thanksgiving tournament since 2005 with a 64-57 victory over the Rebels in the final game of the Lady Rebel Round-Up Sunday afternoon from the Cox Pavilion. UNLV improved to 5-0 on the year, while the Old Miss Rebels were handed their first loss of the season, dropping to 5-1.
Sunday's win for UNLV was its first over an SEC team since Nov. 15, 2004, a 66-63 victory over South Carolina in Seattle, Wash., while it was also the second victory over a Power-5 team for the Lady Rebels this season, the first time that's happened since the 2011-12 season. The last time UNLV claimed a championship win in its tournament was in 2005 when it won the Lady Rebel Shootout over Tennessee Tech.
Ole Miss hit a three-pointer right out of the halftime break for a 36-31 edge, and went ahead 40-34 on a pair of free throws from Manuel Taylor with 6:56 left in the third quarter. UNLV scored the next four points, before Shelby GIbson tipped her own missed shot back in to give the Rebels a 42-38 edge with 4:31 on the clock. That was the last points of the third quarter for the visitors, as UNLV forced six missed shots and a pair of turnovers. The Lady Rebs meanwhile took advantage of their possessions, scoring on five of its next six trips down the court. UNLV would close out the half with a 10-0 run, first tying the game on an offensive putback by Jordyn Bell at the 2:31 mark. Dakota Gonzalez put UNLV ahead for good with two free throws with 2:05 to play, part of six straight free throws made by the Lady Rebs for a 48-42 lead at the end of the third quarter. Two of those free throws came after a second technical foul was called on the Ole Miss head coach, leading to his ejection from the contest.
The fourth quarter saw good defensive play from both teams, with just four total points in the first six minutes. Ole Miss finally broke a six-minute scoreless drought with a layup from Taylor to close within 50-44. UNLV answered back though with six unanswered points for its largest lead of the game, 56-44 with 3:38 left in the game. The Rebels did cut the edge to six twice in the final 62 seconds, but UNLV ended the game hitting six-of-eight at the line to claim the victory.
UNLV began the afternoon with a 5-2 edge, but Ole Miss countered with a 10-1 spurt, and took a 16-11 edge into halftime thanks to a trey from Madinah Muhammad at the buzzer. The Lady Rebels came back in the second, helped by its 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, while Wheatley started a 7-0 spurt thanks to four straight points, while Paris Strawther added a three-pointer for a 23-18 lead. Ole Miss tied the game for the fifth time in the first half, and the game was tied two more times and saw the lead change hands twice by the end of the half. Muhammad briefly gave Ole Miss a five-point edge with a trey with just seven seconds left. Brooke Johnson had the answer for UNLV though, knocking down a three-pointer of her own from 30 fee out at the halftime buzzer to bring the Lady Rebs within 33-31.
Wheatley, the tournament MVP, finished with team-highs of 14 points, 10 rebounds (for her first double-double of the year) and four assists. Strawther, Johnson and Gonzalez all added 12 each. UNLV was held to 35.3% (18-of-51) from the floor, but was sent to the free throw line 32 times, and made 24 for a 75% performance. The Lady Rebels were held to a season-low 23.5% (4-of-17) from behind the arc. One of the keys to the win was the Lady Rebels' dominance on the boards, as they held a 42-28 advantage.
Ole Miss was paced by Muhammad with 24 points. Shandricka Sessom added 12, while the next highest scorer was Manuel with six. The visiting Rebels shot 40.4% (21-of-52) from the floor, made seven-of-19 from three-point range for 36.8%, and 8-of-10 at the line for 80%.
The Lady Rebels will play next in the Maui Classic, hosted by Oregon State at War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku on the island of Maui. UNLV opens the four-team event on Friday at 6:30 pm (PT) against former conference rival BYU, and then will face Idaho on Saturday, also at 6:30 pm (PT).
