Regular Season Ends For Cougars

PROVO -- It was senior night at the Marriott Center as the BYU women's basketball team suited up for their final regular-season game of the year in Provo against UNLV, the Rebels would win the game 59-67.

With the loss the Cougars head into the Mountain West Conference Tournament with a 5-8 conference record and 15-12 overall, it was also the first win for the Rebels in Provo since 1975.

"I am really proud they fought," said head coach Jeff Judkins. "I wanted to play each senior a little tonight but it was hard because I was trying to win."

One of the other Cougars who also was trying to win was senior Ashleigh Chamberlain who posted a strong performance adding 15 points, including 11 in the second half, a team-high three assists and a game-high four blocks

Judkins said of Chamberlain's performance, "She is a big factor on this team. She is the best low-post player and definitely the best rebounder. We should have used her more."

Leading the way for the Cougars was junior guard Julie Sullivan who put up 16 points while going 2-3 from behind the arc before fouling out with 8:08 left to play in the game.

"She's been our leader," said Judkins, "but (losing her) shouldn't affect us like that."

With Sullivan out of the line-up, the Cougars struggled to make another run in the game.

Through much of the first half it was a close contest, the Rebels gained a 9-12 advantage with a little more than 13 minutes left in the half but a three-point shot by Sullivan tied up the game at 12 apiece.

After being whistled for six fouls in the opening eight minutes, BYU finally caught a break as the Rebels were called for their first foul of the game when UNLV's RanDee Henry caught Kristen Kozlowski on the arm, giving the Cougar's their first trip to the foul line.

Kozlowski hit the first shot but the missed the second, leaving the Cougars' behind by one at 14-13.

The Rebels used a 5-0 run to build a seven-point lead on the Cougars at 22-15. BYU managed to chip away at the lead and got within two at 24-22 but the Rebels built the lead back to six at 30-24 with just over a minute before the half.

With 45 second to play, Sullivan hit her second three of the half and brought the Cougars to within three, but the rebels managed to get another bucket before the buzzer, sending the teams into the break at 32-27.

Coming out of the half, Chamberlain recorded back-to-back baskets to put the Cougars in position to take the lead at 32-31 but the Rebels responded with a 6-0 run and would push their lead to as much as nine with less than 10 minutes in the game.

BYU junior guard Kali Taylor hit a big three-pointer at the seven-minute mark and was fouled on the shot, sending her to the free-throw line for two shots with the Cougars in the double bonus.

The five-point play narrowed the Rebel lead to four at 52-48 but the Cougars would not get any closer as UNLV went on to win 67-59.

BYU finished the season in 6th place in the MWC regular season. They will play UNLV in quarterfinal action at 8:30 p.m. in this year's MWC Tournament in Denver, Colo. All games will be played at the Pepsi Center.

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas vs Brigham Young University
03/06/04 4:06 PM at Brigham Young University
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas 21-6; 10-4
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
21 HITCHENS, Nikki..... f  1-5    0-0    2-2    4  4  8   3   4  0  3  0  1  27
22 HENRY, RanDee....... f  2-7    1-2   11-13   4  7 11   3  16  0  0  0  0  37
54 MCCRACKLIN, Sherry.. c  3-8    0-0    3-5    4  4  8   3   9  2  8  2  1  31
00 MOORE, Sheena....... g  3-10   0-5    3-4    0  2  2   4   9  5  6  0  0  32
31 ROBINSON, InFini.... g  4-7    2-4    5-5    0  2  2   3  15  1  2  0  0  33
01 CLARK, Nejlah.......    1-3    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   2   2  0  0  0  1   8
03 SIMMONS, Kameca.....    2-3    0-0    2-2    1  3  4   0   6  1  1  0  1  14
40 STRONG, Padra.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   0   0  0  0  0  0   5
44 COLEMAN, Shana......    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  0  0  0   6
51 LOFTUS, Amy.........    3-6    0-0    0-0    3  0  3   3   6  0  2  0  0   7
   TEAM................                         3  4  7
   Totals..............   19-50   3-12  26-31  19 29 48  21  67  9 22  2  4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-28  .357   2nd Half:  9-22  .409   Game:  .380  DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-7   .286   2nd Half:  1-5   .200   Game:  .250  REBOUNDS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-12  .833   2nd Half: 16-19  .842   Game:  .839     1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Brigham Young University 15-13; 5-9
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
15 OVERDIEK, Jennie.... f  3-8    0-1    0-0    2  5  7   5   6  2  0  0  2  29
51 CHEESMAN, Danielle.. f  1-7    0-1    0-0    3  0  3   4   2  6  1  0  0  25
40 CHAMBERLAIN, A...... c  7-10   0-0    1-2    1  2  3   3  15  3  4  4  1  34
04 DOOLEY, Kestlee..... g  1-2    0-0    5-6    0  2  2   2   7  2  0  0  1  23
14 SULLIVAN, Julie..... g  5-13   2-3    4-6    0  2  2   5  16  2  2  0  0  23
01 SELJAAS, Nancy......    1-3    1-3    0-0    0  0  0   2   3  0  0  0  0  10
12 GATTEN, Angie.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
23 HANSEN, Heather.....    1-5    1-3    0-0    1  0  1   2   3  0  1  0  0  12
24 HANSEN, Hollie......    0-0    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   1   0  1  1  0  0   5
25 TAYLOR, Kali........    2-7    2-4    0-0    0  1  1   0   6  0  1  0  0  10
32 KOZLOWSKI, Kristen..    0-3    0-0    1-2    0  2  2   3   1  1  2  0  0   9
33 ANDERSON, Ambrosia..    0-6    0-2    0-0    3  2  5   1   0  0  0  0  0   9
35 JOHNSEN, Melinda....    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  1  1  0  0  10
   TEAM................                         6     6
   Totals..............   21-65   6-17  11-16  17 16 33  28  59 18 13  4  4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-28  .393   2nd Half: 10-37  .270   Game:  .323  DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  4-9   .444   2nd Half:  2-8   .250   Game:  .353  REBOUNDS
F Throw % 1st Half:  1-2   .500   2nd Half: 10-14  .714   Game:  .688     3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Anita Myles, Schel Brown, Alex Moreno
Technical fouls: Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas-LOFTUS, Amy. Brigham Young
University-None.
Attendance: 882
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas.....   32   35  -   67
Brigham Young University......   27   32  -   59
OFFICIAL FINAL