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WBK: UNLV Wins In Thriller Against Fresno St

Jan. 6, 2012
UNLV Athletics

LAS VEGAS - Junior guard and Las Vegas native Mia Bell came up with her third game-winning shot of the season, a layup at the shot clock buzzer in the final minute lifted UNLV to a 73-71 victory over Fresno State in a thrilling college women's basketball contest on Friday night at the Cox Pavilion. In what was a matchup of the top teams from the Mountain West and the WAC, UNLV rallied from 11 points down in the second half for the victory, which improved them to 12-4 on the season. The Bulldogs meanwhile dropped to 11-4.

FSU's Ki-Ki Moore drained two free throws with 58 seconds left to tie the game for the 10th time at 70-70. On the next possession, Fresno State did not give up any open looks, but with time winding down, Bell looked at the shot clock and saw it was at five seconds. She then drove down the left side from the top of the key before banking in a seven-footer to put UNLV up 72-70. Fresno State missed on the other end, and UNLV's Kelli Thompson was fouled. She missed both free throws, but UNLV came up with the offensive rebound, and Thompson was fouled again. She made one of two at the line, giving the Bulldogs one last chance with five seconds left and UNLV up 73-70. Madison Parrish got off a three-point shot with .04 seconds left that was off, but it was ruled she was fouled on the attempt. However, she missed the first two attempts before sinking the third, and UNLV inbounded the ball to run out the clock.

UNLV pulled off the victory with its biggest rally of the season, as the Lady Rebels trailed FSU by 11 points in the second half, 48-37 following a trey from Moore at the 16:07 mark. With the Bulldogs leading by nine, 51-42, UNLV reeled off nine straight to tie the game at 51-51 on a layup from Bell. UNLV's defense forced four turnovers and two missed shots during that 2:48 span. Following Bell's layup, the game was a tight back and forth battle for the rest of the night, with seven lead changes and five ties over the final eight minutes. The game changed for UNLV in the final three minutes, after FSU went up 68-65 on a Moore layup. The Lady Rebels would not allow another field goal the rest of the game, coming up with four missed shots. A free throw from Lenita Sanford and an offensive rebound and putback by Jamie Smith tied the game at 68-68, and the teams traded free throws before Bell's game-winner.

The first half was a series of runs for both teams. The game was tied at 13-13 before UNLV scored eight unanswered for a 21-13 edge. After FSU closed to within one, the Lady Rebels pushed the lead back to 28-20 on a layup from Bell. FSU's three-point attack got them back in the game, as the Bulldogs connected on four in less then three minutes, helping to spark an 18-2 run over a 4:11 span. Their eighth trey of the first half with 37 seconds left gave them a 41-33 edge going into halftime.
Smith, one of five UNLV starters that finished in double-figures with 15, became the Mountain West's all-time leading rebounder in the game,ending the game with six to give her 1,018 in her career. That broke the previous mark of 1,015 that was held by Kim Smith of Utah. Thompson was the leading scorer of the game with 19 points, while Bell added 14 points, Sanford 12 and Sandrine Nzeukou 10 points and nine rebounds. Sanford also added a career-high tying five blocks, part of an eight-block performance by UNLV as a team. The Lady Rebels shot 48.1% (26-of-54) for the game, was 5-of-14 for 35.7% from three-point range, and 16-of-23 from the line for 69.6%. UNLV outrebounded FSU 37-34, including 23-16 in the second half, and held a 38-20 edge on points in the paint.

Moore paced FSU with 18 points and nine rebounds. Parrish was next with 17 points, while Alex Sheedy added 12. The Bulldogs shot 39.3% (24-of-61) from the field, and made 13-of-29 from three-point range for 44.8%. The Bulldogs struggled at the line, hitting 10-of-17 for 58.8%.

The Lady Rebels will return to action with their Mountain West opener, a Wednesday, Jan. 11 road contest at Wyoming in Laramie at 6 pm (PST).