LAS VEGAS (Jan. 25, 2003) It was a heartbreaker for the BYU women's basketball team, after battling back from a 26-point deficit to lose by four, 73-69 to the Lady Rebels of UNLV in MWC action, Saturday.
With just under five minutes to play in the game, All-American Erin Thorn tied the game at 61-61 with a three- pointer. Two free throws later she gave the Cougars their first lead of the contest 63-61.
UNLV's Sherry McCracklin tied up the game again with two free throws of her own. Two more foul line points by Constance Jinks on the next play gave the Lady Rebels a 65-63 advantage with 2:58 left. Thorn kept the game close after putting in her fifth trey of the night to give BYU its second lead, 66-65.
Julia Gray hits one of two free throws for the third 66-66 tie of the contest since the five- minute mark. BYU's Danielle Cheesman scored her 12th and 13th points of the game at the free throw line for a 68-66 Cougar lead, but UNLV's Sherry McCracklin ties the game up once again at 68-68 with just over a minute left.
With 1:39 showing on the scoreboard, BYU's point-guard Kestlee Nelson would score the final point for the Cougars sinking the second of two free throws. UNLV would pick up its final four points from the charity stripe to hand BYU its first conference loss of the season. The Cougars battled back from a 26 point 47-21 half time deficit.
Thorn led all scores in the league game with 25 points and eight assists. Freshman Jen Overdiek had a season-high 15 points coming off the bench. Cheesman was third Cougar player to score in double figures with her 13 points and team- high eight boards. Cheesman along with Lisa Hansen and Brittany Larson all fouled out of the game.
For UNLV who improve to 11-5, 2-1 on the year, it was McCracklin scoring in double figures with 22 points followed by 17 points from Constance Jinks and 10 from teammate Sheena Moore.
BYU, now 12-5, 3-1 on the year returns hope for more MWC basketball, hosting instate rival Utah on Sat., Feb. 1 in a 4 p.m. tip off.
Official Basketball Box Score
BYU vs UNLV
1/25/03 7:35 PM at Las Vegas, Nevada
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: BYU 12-5, 3-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
21 LEITNER, Jennifer... f 0-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 11
51 CHEESMAN, Danielle.. f 5-10 1-3 2-4 1 7 8 5 13 3 5 0 0 36
04 NELSON, Kestlee..... g 1-2 0-0 1-2 0 2 2 2 3 3 3 0 2 36
11 THORN, Erin......... g 8-15 5-10 4-4 1 0 1 2 25 8 2 0 3 40
25 TAYLOR, Kali........ g 2-4 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 2 5 2 2 0 0 19
15 OVERDIEK, Jen....... 6-9 1-2 2-4 2 2 4 4 15 2 2 0 0 23
20 LARSON, Brittany.... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 5 0 0 4 0 1 9
33 ANDERSON, Ambrosia.. 1-4 0-2 0-0 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 10
40 CHAMBERLAIN, A...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
45 HANSEN, Lisa........ 2-2 0-0 2-2 0 2 2 5 6 0 1 0 0 12
TEAM................ 4 4 8 1
Totals.............. 25-49 8-18 11-16 10 19 29 26 69 20 21 0 6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 9-28 32.1% 2nd Half: 16-21 76.2% Game: 51.0% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-11 27.3% 2nd Half: 5-7 71.4% Game: 44.4% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 11-16 68.8% Game: 68.8% 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: UNLV 11-5, 2-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
30 MITCHELL, Talisha... f 0-2 0-0 3-4 0 1 1 2 3 4 1 0 3 29
54 McCRACKLIN, Sherry.. f 7-10 0-0 8-9 4 1 5 4 22 0 4 2 1 28
55 McCRACKLIN, Dishawn. c 1-2 0-0 2-4 3 7 10 2 4 1 6 1 1 38
11 GRAY, Julia......... g 3-7 0-2 3-4 1 1 2 3 9 7 2 0 4 37
23 JINKS, Constance.... g 6-11 0-2 5-8 1 2 3 3 17 2 2 0 2 30
00 MOORE, Sheena....... 4-7 2-4 0-1 1 1 2 2 10 2 0 0 2 20
31 ROBINSON, InFINI.... 3-6 2-5 0-0 0 0 0 0 8 1 1 0 0 13
40 STRONG, Padra....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 5
TEAM................ 2 2 2
Totals.............. 24-45 4-13 21-30 10 16 26 16 73 17 19 3 13 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 17-24 70.8% 2nd Half: 7-21 33.3% Game: 53.3% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-6 66.7% 2nd Half: 0-7 0.0% Game: 30.8% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 9-13 69.2% 2nd Half: 12-17 70.6% Game: 70.0% 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Ernest Solis, Robert Strong and Anita Ortega
Technical fouls: BYU-None. UNLV-None.
Attendance: 1132
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
BYU........................... 21 48 - 69
UNLV.......................... 47 26 - 73
Statistics provided by Jim Shaffer & crew (702) 896-5677 statman@winning.com