LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Behind a career-high 28 points from senior guard Nikki Wheatley, UNLV snapped the nation's third-longest win streak with a 66-57 victory over New Mexico Wednesday night in Mountain West women's basketball action at the Cox Pavilion. The Lady Rebels stopped the Lobo win streak at 11 games, sending the visitors to 12-2 for the season, 2-1 in league play, while it was the first league win of the year for UNLV after beginning the season with two road contests (2-12 overall, 1-2 MW).
The Lobos came into the game averaging a conference-best 78.2 points per game while shooting 42% from the floor, but they had no answers for the UNLV defensive effort. UNLV held UNM to its lowest point total of the year (previous low was 66 points), while the Lobos' 32.8% field goal percentage was their worst of the year as well (previous low was 37.8%).
The first half saw a series of runs, as UNLV opened up with a 13-6 edge, before the Lobos countered with a 13-0 run of their own for a 19-16 advantage at the 8:23 mark of the second half. A Wheatley jumper in the paint brought UNLV within 30-31 going into the halftime break.
THE TURNING POINT: UNLV exploded out of the gates to begin the second half, as Wheatley scored on back-to-back layups and Katie Powell added a layup for a 6-0 run in the first 66 seconds of the third quarter. That put the Lady Rebels ahead 36-31, and they would never trail again. UNM did close within 36-35 at the 8:02 mark, but were held to just four points the rest of the quarter, as UNLV ended the third with a 14-4 spurt for a 50-39 advantage.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Lady Rebels held a 40-22 advantage on points in the paint.
LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Wheatley easily surpassed her previous career-high of 22 points, as she finished with 28 off 12-of-23 shooting from the floor. She just missed out on a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds.
QUOTABLE: "Good win for the Lady Rebels tonight. For our group, they've been unbeat all this time, it's not easy when you lose games. But they kept a really good focus. Very determined tonight, great defensive effort, Nikki had an unreal game, both on the offensive and defensive end. For us to play this kind of basketball for 40 minutes was definitely a good win."
- UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier
LADY REBEL NOTES:
* New Mexico's 11-game win streak had ranked third in the nation, behind NC State (15 games) and Louisville (14).
* UNLV has won six straight in the all-time series against the Lobos, and eight straight in the Cox Pavilion.
* Joining Wheatley in double-figures was Powell with 14.
* Wheatley moved into 20th place all-time at UNLV in career scoring with 1,148 points, passing Jamie Smith (1,122) and Merlelynn Lange (1,129).
* UNLV won despite shooting just 2-of-15 from three-point range (13.3%). The Lady Rebels finished the night 24-of-47 from inside the arc for 51.1%, and overall was 26-of-62 for 41.9%.
* The Lobos came into the game ranked first in the MW in rebound margin at +6.4, but lost the battle of the boards to UNLV 41-39.
NEXT TIME OUT: UNLV will have its first bye of the conference season this weekend before returning to action on Wednesday, Jan. 16 against the Air Force Falcons. The game will be the second-ever Lady Rebel School Day game, with over 1,200 local elementary students expected to attend the 12 pm contest in the Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and staff, while those buying tickets at UNLVTickets.com at least three hours before the event receive $3 off admission. Kids 17 and under are free at UNLV Lady Rebel home events.
