UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SUFFERS 68-60 LOSS TO OREGON STATE
Lady Rebels close out the Duel In The Desert Saturday night against Creighton
Oregon State used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to break open a one-point contest, as the hot-shooting Beavers handed UNLV a 68-60 loss on Friday night on the second day of action at the Duel In The Desert women’s basketball tournament at the Cox Pavilion. The Lady Rebels dropped to 3-8 overall with the loss, while OSU moved to 7-3 on the season.
“I thought we battled hard tonight, and we did a lot of good things,” said UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier. “We have been doing a much better job of taking care of the ball this week, and I felt we battled them on the offensive boards. In the second half we hit a lull, and that ended up being the difference in the game.”
The Lady Rebels forced Oregon State into 25 turnovers on the night, turning those into 20 points while posting 12 steals in the game. The Beavers made up the difference with their shooting, connecting on 26-of-51 for 51% from the field. They also outscored the Lady Rebels by 15 from three-point range, hitting 9-of-25 (35%), while the Lady Rebels made 4-of-10 from behind the arc. Overall, UNLV was held to 35% (21-of-60) from the floor, and made a season-low 56% of its free throw attempts, 14-of-25.
For the second straight day UNLV started out with an early lead, with a three-pointer from Mia Bell putting the home team up 7-2 five minutes in. Following a trey from OSU’s Ali Gibson, Amie Callaway responded with a three of her own and went one-of-two at the line to five UNLV its largest lead of the game at 11-5 at the 13:16 mark. The Beavers then hit their next four shots, including a pair of three-pointers, while a layup from Jamie Wesiner at 11:21 put them ahead 15-11. UNLV cut the lead down to one following a three-point play from Aley Rohde for a 19-18 contest, but a pair of treys pushed the Oregon State lead back to 29-20 with 6:26 to play.
UNLV would hold the Beavers scoreless for the next five and a half minutes, while Réjane Vérin and Alana Cesarz combined for six points to bring UNLV within 29-26 entering the final minute. Oregon State used a pair of layups in the final minute to take a 33-28 edge into halftime.
After a trey by Oregon State to open the second half, UNLV scored nine of the next 11 points, with a three-pointer from Cesarz cutting the edge to one once again, 38-37 with 15:27 to play. UNLV then hit a cold spell on offense, going over four minutes without a point. That proved to be the difference in the game, with Oregon State reeling off 10 unanswered points, including a pair of three-pointers from Sydney Wiese. Her second one made the score 48-37 with 11:05 to play in the contest. UNLV battled hard the rest of the way, but could not get enough shots to fall to cut the OSU lead any closer then seven points.
Four players finished in double-figure for UNLV, with Cesarz and Bell leading the way with 12 points each. Cesarz also added a team-high eight rebounds. Rohde and Danielle Miller posted 11 points each. UNLV was outrebounded by a 43-33 margin, but held a slight 8-6 edge on second chance points.
Wiese paced OSU with 17 points, while Gibson added 12 and Jamie Weisner 10.
UNLV closes out action in the Duel on Saturday night at 7:30 pm against Creighton.