San Jose, Calif. – The San Jose State women's basketball team won the battle for three quarters, but lost the war 53-43 against the UNLV Lady Rebels after being outscored in the third quarter 25-to-8.
Analyss Benally led the Spartans offense with nine points. She added three assist and three rebounds. Mikaylah Wilson grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked two shots and scored seven points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Danae Marquez led the team with five assists.
Both the Spartans and Lady Rebels struggled from the field in the first half. SJSU made 7-of-26 shots (27 percent) in the first 20 minutes, including 2-of-9 from three-point range. The Lady Rebels struggled even more going 5-of-31 (16 percent) and 4-of-10 from the line to send the teams to the locker room with San José State (1-15, 0-5 MW) up 18-14.
The third period proved to be the difference.
The teams traded buckets for the first couple minutes and after Cydni Lewis hit a jumper in the lane the Spartans were up 23-22 with 6:53 to go. But UNLV (5-11, 3-2 MW) then went on a 10-0 run over four minutes to take a 32-23 lead. Nikki Wheatley had five of her nine points in the game in the run and the Rebels took a 39-26 lead into the final period.
The Spartans battled back in the fourth and after an Andrea Kohlhaas three with 1:24 to play, SJSU was within seven at 47-40. UNLV hit its free throws down the stretch making all four of its attempts in the last minute and a half to take the 53-43 victory.
For the game the Rebels went to the line 28 times, making 15 for 53 percent. SJSU was granted 10 free throws and made six. In addition both teams were off the mark from long distace with the Spartans going 5-of-27 and UNLV 2-of-11.
Benally made three of the team's three-pointers and now has 90 for her career. She is 11 from reaching the top-10 in the program's career three-pointers list. Kohlhaas sank two threes in the fourth quarter, had 50 for her career, and moved into 23rd place on the all-time list.
UNLV, which shot 29 percent for the game, had one player in double figures, Jordyn Bell with 10 points. Katie Powell had nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Spartan host Wyoming on Wednesday January 23. Tip off in The Event Center is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.