Postgame Notes: Utah vs. UNLV
3/12/2004 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 12, 2004
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SEMIFINAL GAME NOTES
#2 UTAH vs. #3 UNLV
Session 3 Attendance: 3,712
- This year marks the first time the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advanced to the title game since the 2000 MWC Tournament when No. 1 Utah defeated No. 2 BYU. Both Utah and defending MWC Tournament champion New Mexico will be making their second appearance in the MWC Tournament finals on Saturday-each team is 1-0 in the finals (Utah won in 2000). The Lobos, who bring a 10-game win streak into the finals, have never played Utah in the MWC Tournament.
- Utah sophomore Kim Smith scored her 1,000th career point at the 9:46 mark in the first half, making her just the second sophomore in MWC history to reach that milestone.
- Utah started the game 0-4 from the field with three turnovers in its first seven possessions as UNLV built an 11-0 lead. Lana Sitterud broke the ice for the Utes with a three-pointer at the 14:12 mark of the first half. Utah answered with another four points to trim the lead to 11-7. However, Utah never led in the first half as the Lady Rebels carried a 30-24 lead into the locker room.
- Utah (4-of-6) and UNLV (5-of-7) combined to hit 9-of-13 three-pointers in the first 13 minutes of the game. Utah's Kelsy Stireman and UNLV's Sheena Moore were each 2-for-2 from downtown in that stretch. The Lady Rebels closed out the half hitting 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, including a buzzer-beater from Infini Robinson five feet outside the NBA three-point line.
- After going 6-for-9 from three-point land in the first half, UNLV took just two three-pointers over 19 minutes of the second half-both makes by Sheena Moore. Moore missed her first trey of the game with 42 seconds to play.
- Utah took its first lead of the game, 39-38, off a Shona Thorburn basket with 11:04 remaining in the game. The Utes outscored the Lady Rebels 16-5 in a span of 8:37 in the second half to take a 44-39 lead with just under seven minutes to play.
- Shona Thorburn then scored 10 straight points for Utah during the second half, maintaining a 54-48 lead for the Utes. Thorburn averaged 9.0 points in the two regular season meetings vs. UNLV, but erupted for 23 points today.
- Infini Robinson averaged 11 points vs. the Utes in the prior two meetings this season, but tallied 13 first-half points vs. Utah today and finished with 17. She had 13 points in the win vs. the Utes March 4.
- Kelsy Stireman had only six points in the overtime loss to UNLV March 4. Stireman tallied 14 points in a win over the Lady Rebels Feb. 8 and added 13 points in today's win.
- RanDee Henry was held to single digits in scoring in the first two meetings vs. Utah this season, but scored 13 today.
- Sherry McCracklin was held without a field goal vs. Utah today, but she notched 11 rebounds vs. the Utes-the 13th time she recorded double figure rebounds this season. McCracklin had 15 rebounds in the overtime win over Utah March 4.
Players Mentioned
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