Overtime Thriller in Vegas

LAS -- BYU (19-7, 10-3) lost an overtime thriller to UNLV(11-14, 5-8), despite the solid play of center Dani Wright who finished with a new season and career high of 30 points and seven rebounds, and at one point scored 10 consecutive points for the Cougars, Thursday night.

Mallary Gillespie, coming off a week in which she was named MWC Player of the week for the third time, started things off right for the Cougars scoring eight of the Cougars first 16 points helping them build a 16-8 lead in the early going.

UNLV was able to keep things close thanks to Shamela Hampton's nine points and three rebounds in the first half. As a result, the Rebels were able to cut the Cougars' lead to five at 19-14 with 10 minutes left in the half, before Wright scored back to back baskets for BYU to make the score 23-14.

The Rebels then went on an 11-2 run to even up the score at 25-25, before Wright scored a lay-up and hit two free throws to put the Cougars back on top 29-25. With the play of Wright, who scored 10 of the last 12 Cougar points in the half, BYU was able to take a narrow 31-28 lead at halftime.

BYU started out the half shooting a blistering 56 percent, before cooling off considerably and ending the half shooting 39 percent from the field.

The second half started off with more of the same for BYU, as teams traded buckets back and forth, and then Wright hit a three for the Cougars to give them a 37-30 lead.

With under five minutes to go, the Cougars found themselves in a close one trailing UNLV for the first time in the game 55-57. Kameca Simmons played great down the stretch for UNLV finishing with 22 points, 19 of those coming in the second half and overtime.

Wright, who picked up her fourth foul, had to spend some time on the bench before being sent back into the game with four minutes left to play, and immediately put in a lay-up to tie the game up at 59-59. UNLV then hit a jumper with under two minutes to play, to go up 61-59. Wright was then fouled and sent to the free throw line where she made one of two to bring the Cougars to within one.

Lauren Riley was then fouled on the Cougars next possession and made one of two to tie the game at 61-61 with 1:23 to go in the game.

A hectic last minute with turnovers galore, saw BYU finally regain the lead as Wright scored a lay-up and was fouled with 37 seconds to go. Wright made the ensuing free throw to give the Cougars a 64-61 lead.

Simmons came back for UNLV and put in a lay-up of her own that she was fouled on and sunk the game-tying free throw. BYU had one more look at winning the game, but Gillespie missed her jumper and it sent the game into overtime tied 64-64.

In overtime, Wright and Gillespie combined to score seven points, but it wasn't enough as UNLV dominated the glass and came out on top 76-71.

BYU was out rebounded 47-36, and only got 10 points from their bench compared to 29 points that UNLV had from their bench.

Gillespie finished with 19 points, and Melinda Johnsen tied a season and career-high with nine assists.

Up next the team returns to the Marriott Center to host San Diego State (12-11, 5-7) on Sat., Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

Official Basketball Box Score
BYU vs UNLV
02/21/07 7:00 PM at Las Vegas, Nev. (Cox Pavilion)
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VISITORS: BYU 19-7, 10-3
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
35 JOHNSEN, Melinda.... f  1-5    0-3    5-6    1  3  4   3   7  9  2  1  3  38
52 RILEY, Lauren....... f  1-3    0-0    1-2    3  0  3   4   3  1  1  3  0  17
45 WRIGHT, Dani........ c  9-17   1-2   11-14   5  2  7   4  30  0  2  1  3  35
15 KEELE, Jennie....... g  1-3    0-1    0-2    0  2  2   2   2  2  4  1  5  40
30 GILLESPIE, Mallary.. g  8-19   3-8    0-0    3  1  4   4  19  2  6  1  4  41
05 CHEESMAN, Ashley....    2-2    0-0    1-1    0  2  2   1   5  0  1  0  0  10
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
32 SLADE, Shawnee......    1-10   0-3    1-2    2  2  4   4   3  3  3  0  0  35
54 KING, Cassie........    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   2  0  0  0  0   9
   TEAM................                         3  7 10
   Totals..............   24-61   4-17  19-27  17 19 36  22  71 17 19  7 15 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-28 39.3%   2nd Half: 11-27 40.7%   OT:  2-6  33.3%   Game: 39.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-7  28.6%   2nd Half:  2-8  25.0%   OT:  0-2   0.0%   Game: 23.5%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  7-9  77.8%   2nd Half:  9-15 60.0%   OT:  3-3  100 %   Game: 70.4%    3
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HOME TEAM: UNLV 11-14, 5-8
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
12 HOLMES, Sequoia..... f  5-18   0-3    1-2    5  5 10   3  11  4  8  3  3  42
15 MULLER, Faye........ f  1-4    0-0    2-4    2  6  8   3   4  0  5  2  2  39
24 HAMPTON, Shamela.... c  4-6    0-0    1-4    2  3  5   5   9  1  5  1  1  30
05 HALBERG, Brittany... g  3-7    1-3    8-8    1  3  4   3  15  2  1  0  1  41
11 HOLIDAY, Allison.... g  2-8    1-4    3-4    2  2  4   1   8  5  1  0  2  30
03 SIMMONS, Kameca.....    9-15   0-0    4-5    5  0  5   4  22  2  2  0  2  29
14 PACE, Latosha.......    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   4
23 HUNT, Latoya........    2-2    0-0    1-2    1  1  2   1   5  0  0  1  1   3
35 STICKLER, Samantha..    1-2    0-0    0-0    1  1  2   0   2  0  0  0  0   7
   TEAM................                         2  5  7
   Totals..............   27-63   2-11  20-29  21 26 47  20  76 14 22  7 12 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-30 36.7%   2nd Half: 12-28 42.9%   OT:  4-5  80.0%   Game: 42.9%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-3  33.3%   2nd Half:  1-8  12.5%   OT:  0-0   0.0%   Game: 18.2%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-10 50.0%   2nd Half: 11-13 84.6%   OT:  4-6  66.7%   Game: 69.0%    5
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Officials: Randy Campbell, Eric Larson, Michol Murray
Technical fouls: BYU-None. UNLV-None.
Attendance: 555
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   OT   Total
BYU...........................   31   33    7  -   71
UNLV..........................   28   36   12  -   76