HONOLULU, Hawaii – The CSUB women's basketball team rallied back from a 16–point deficit to defeat UNLV 66–63 in the opening game of the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Invitational Tuesday evening.
CSUB (9–8) and UNLV (5–7) were tied with 14 points a piece midway through the first half, however, the Lady Rebels turned a span of Roadrunner turnovers into quick points to grab the first commanding lead of the game. UNLV went on a 19–3 run to claim a 16–point lead over the 'Runners with a little less than three minutes to go in the opening half.
Behind a pair of free throws and a jumper from Kristine Herman (San Ramon, Calif./Florida Gulf Coast), along with a jumper from sophomore guard Amber Williams (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda HS), the Roadrunners managed to cut into the Lady Rebs' lead. CSUB used an 8–0 run of its own to close out the opening half and come within seven points (28–35) at the break.
The Roadrunners caught fire from behind the arc in the second half as they sunk five treys through the first ten minutes. Senior guard Breana Fields (Sacramento, Calif./San Jose State) hit four consecutive shots, including three deep treys, to give the 'Runners the lead for the first time since the opening minutes.
The final ten minutes saw four ties and eight lead changes as free throws would be the difference due to foul trouble for both teams. Freshman guard Tyonna Outland (Compton, Calif./Lynwood HS) was clutch down the stretch, making five from the line in the closing minutes to secure the 66–63 win for CSUB.
UNLV had three different players finish in double–figure scoring while Williams (18 points), Herman (15 points) and Fields (11 points) led CSUB. Fields hit four from behind the arc while Williams added three. Four different 'Runners pulled down four rebounds.
Up next for the 'Runners is a duel with the host as CSUB plays Hawai'i in the second day of the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Invitational Dec. 29. Tip–off is scheduled for 9 p.m. PST.
Newspaper Box Score
CSU Bakersfield vs UNLV
12-28-10 5:00pm at Stan Sheriff Center - Honolulu, HI
At Stan Sheriff Center - Honolulu, HI
CSU BAKERSFIELD 66, UNLV 63
CSU BAKERSFIELD (9-8)
Williams, Amber 7-15 1-7 18; Herman, Kristine 4-9 6-6 15; Fields, Breana 4-7
0-0 11; Outland, Tyonna 1-8 5-6 7; Johnson, Cebrina 2-4 2-2 7; Davis, Tamiko
1-1 4-6 6; Smith, Jana 1-4 0-0 2; Leon, Nikki 0-5 0-0 0; Carter, Lauren 0-0
0-0 0; McGee, Britney 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 18-27 66.
UNLV (5-7)
THOMPSON, Kelli 7-17 1-2 16; MORRISON, Tia 7-10 0-0 14; BYRD, Ta'Nitra 4-12
5-5 13; CHANEY, India 3-5 0-0 7; SMITH, Jamie 1-5 1-2 4; NZEUKOU, Sandrine
1-4 2-2 4; ANDERSON, Amanda 1-2 1-1 3; HAYNES, Rmanii 1-1 0-0 2; BELL, Mia
0-3 0-0 0; HELMS, Erica 0-2 0-0 0; STYLES, Markiell 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-63
10-12 63.
CSU Bakersfield............... 28 38 - 66
UNLV.......................... 35 28 - 63
3-point goals--CSU Bakersfield 8-23 (Fields, Breana 3-5; Williams, Amber
3-5; Herman, Kristine 1-4; Johnson, Cebrina 1-1; Leon, Nikki 0-2; McGee,
Britney 0-4; Outland, Tyonna 0-2), UNLV 3-15 (CHANEY, India 1-2; SMITH,
Jamie 1-4; THOMPSON, Kelli 1-6; BELL, Mia 0-2; HELMS, Erica 0-1). Fouled
out--CSU Bakersfield-None, UNLV-None. Rebounds--CSU Bakersfield 29
(Williams, Amber 4; Outland, Tyonna 4; Johnson, Cebrina 4; Davis, Tamiko 4),
UNLV 50 (BYRD, Ta'Nitra 12). Assists--CSU Bakersfield 7 (Williams, Amber 5),
UNLV 11 (BELL, Mia 6). Total fouls--CSU Bakersfield 15, UNLV 24. Technical
fouls--CSU Bakersfield-None, UNLV-None.
