Feb. 20, 2016 Box Score
RENO, Nev. (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV held a 48-37 lead after three quarters, but a huge foul advantage in the fourth quarter sparked a big rally by Nevada, Reno, leading to a 71-65 upset by the Wolf Pack on Saturday afternoon in Mountain West women's basketball action from the Lawlor Events Center. UNLV dropped to 14-12, 7-8 in the MW with the loss, while UNR improves to 5-20, 4-10 in the league.
The loss also tied the season series at 1-1 after the game, which is part of the Governor's Series, the all-sports competition between the two school sponsored by NV Energy and Barrick Gold. Points can not be awarded for women's basketball yet due to the chance of both teams meeting again in the Mountain West Tournament for a deciding third game.
The key to UNR's victory was the difference in the foul totals of the fourth quarter. After being called for nine over the first 30 minutes, UNLV was whistled for 14 in the fourth quarter, to just one for the home team. The Lady Rebels were called for several offensive charges, leading to seven turnovers in the final 10 minutes. UNR meanwhile finished the fourth going to the line 16 times and making 13, while UNLV did not have a free throw attempt in the final 10 minutes. Seven of the Wolf Pack's first 11 points in the quarter came at the free throw line, and their 13-3 run over the first six minutes made it a 51-50 contest, as UNLV's only points in the quarter thus far were off a Brooke Johnson step-back three.
After Dakota Gonzalez hit a basket to put UNLV up three, the teams traded three-pointers, with Gonzalez's shot at 3:04 giving UNLV a 56-53 edge. That was the last lead for the Lady Rebs, as UNR hit back-to-back treys to grab the advantage for good at 59-56. Gonzalez hit her third straight shot to bring UNLV within 59-58 with 1:45 to play, before a UNR layup and two free throws pushed the lead back to five points. Again Gonzalez hit a three-pointer to cut the UNR lead to 63-61 with 31 seconds left. The Wolf Pack would find Nyasha Lesure on a long pass off the inbounds for a layup and she was fouled on the attempt. Lesure missed the attempt but grabbed her own rebound, put it back in and was fouled. She converted the three-point play for a 68-61 lead for the Wolf Pack, and UNLV came no closer then five the rest of the way.
UNR had the early lead thanks to shooting four-of-four from three-point range in the opening quarter, and led 19-13 after the first 10 minutes. Brooke Johnson was the story of the second quarter, as the Lady Rebel sophomore matched the entire UNR team's scoring output, 10-10. She added five steals and two assists in the second quarter, sparking the Lady Rebels to a 34-29 halftime advantage.
The Lady Rebels scored the first five points of the third quarter for its first double-digit lead of the game, 39-29 with 7:17 left. UNLV would hold at least a seven-point edge for the rest of the quarter, and Amie Callaway's layup with 42 seconds left make the score 48-37 in favor of the visitors going into the final 10 minutes.
Johnson paced UNLV with 20 points and added three assists, five rebounds and five steals. Gonzalez added 14 points, while Nikki Wheatley chipped in 12. The Lady Rebels shot 43.8% (25-of-61) for the game, were 6-of-20 from three-point range and 9-of-11 at the free throw line for 81.8%. Despite leading the league in rebound margin, they were outrebounded by a 37-33 margin, and turned the ball over 19 times which led to UNR's 23-15 edge on points off turnovers.
Lesure led UNR with 19 points, while Stephanie Schmid added 16 and Halie Bergman 11. The Wolf Pack shot 46.2% (24-of-52), including 7-of-16 from three-point land for 43.8%. After going 1-of-3 at the line in the first half, UNR was 15-20 in the second, finishing at 16-of-23 for 69.6%.
UNLV is back in Las Vegas for its next contest, a Wednesday, Feb. 24 game against Boise State at 7 pm in the Cox Pavilion.
