Box Score Nov. 26, 2017 LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - In a thrilling, high-scoring contest inside the Cox Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, UNLV turned in a hard fought effort but could not overcome the long distance shooting of Minnesota, falling to the Golden Gophers 79-72 in the championship game of the Lady Rebel Round-Up. In a matchup of undefeated teams, UNLV would suffer its first loss of the season to drop to 4-1, while Minnesota improved to 7-0 on the year.
Minnesota used two big scoring outbursts in the game, first starting the contest with a 17-4 advantage, and then outscoring the Lady Rebels 24-10 in the third quarter to open up a 70-53 advantage. UNLV would outscore the Golden Gophers 19-9 in the fourth quarter, but could come no closer then seven points on the final basket of the game, a three-pointer from Alyssa Anderson.
The Golden Gophers came into Sunday's game ninth in the nation in scoring at 90.3 points per game. They were held under 80 points for just the third time this season, while the seven-point win margin was its lowest of the season.
THE TURNING POINT: The lead was just four for Minnesota at 49-45, when the Golden Gophers reeled off seven straight points for a 56-45 lead. Brooke Johnson nailed a trey to bring UNLV within nine, before Destiney Pitts, tournament MVP, answered back with a trey. UNLV would be down by double-digits the rest of the way until the final three minutes of the game.
LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Johnson posted a season-high with 25 points and added a pair of steals.
STAT OF THE GAME: Minnesota knocked down 13-of-36 from behind the arc, and outscored the Lady Rebels (6-21) by 21 points on long-range shooting. UNLV was a combined 0-9 from three-point range over the second and third quarters.
QUOTABLE:
"We came out too soft in the first and third quarter, and that kind of killed us, we let them get on big runs. Yesterday we had a lot of O-boards, today we played a little sloppy."
- UNLV senior guard Brooke Johnson
LADY REBEL NOTES:
* Nikki Wheatley posted her third straight double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
* Katie Powell just missed posting a fifth straight double-double after finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds.
* UNLV was outrebounded for the first time this year, 46-43.
* Johnson and Wheatley were both named to the All-Tournament team.
NEXT FOR THE LADY REBELS: UNLV is back in action on Saturday, Dec. 2, when it faces UC Riverside in the first round of the ASU Classic at 10:30 am in Tempe, Arizona. The Lady Rebels would then face either Buffalo or the host Arizona State Sun Devils on Sunday, Dec. 3.
