Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
6-10, 1-2MWC
UNLV
7-9, 0-3MWC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State | 37 | 33 | 70 |
| UNLV | 32 | 37 | 69 |
Beemer leads Rams past Lady Rebels
1/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2009
By Danny Mattie
Athletic Media Relations
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Senior guard Kandy Beemer poured in a career-high 25 points to lead the Colorado State women’s basketball team to a 70-69 road victory over the UNLV Lady Rebels on Wednesday night. Beemer shot lights out, hitting 7-for-11 from three-point range to tie an arena record in front of 567 fans at Cox Pavilion. With the win, the Rams improve to 6-10 (1-2 MWC), while UNLV falls to 7-9 (0-3 MWC).
The win marks the Rams’ first regular-season conference victory since Feb. 2, 2007 at San Diego State, and is CSU’s first regular-season conference road win since Jan. 4, 2007 at Air Force.
Colorado State held on for the victory despite missing the front end of single-bonus free throws three times in the final minute of action, and being held scoreless for the final 2 minutes, 39 seconds.
“For us to gut it out, and pull out the win is really big for this team,” said Head Coach Kristen Holt following the Rams’ victory.
CSU opened the contest shooting a blistering 75 percent (9-for-12) from the field and quickly jumped out to a 25-13 lead at the midway through the first half. The Rams’ lead peaked at 13 points, 31-18, at the 6:00 mark of the first half, but the Lady Rebels cut the advantage to single-digits early in the second-half and tied the game, 40-40, with 17:43 remaining in the contest.
The first two of Beemer’s three-pointers accounted for six of the Rams’ first 11 points, as CSU opened the game on an 11-2 run. Beemer added another pair of crucial back-to-back treys after UNLV tied the game, giving CSU a 46-40 lead with less than 17 minutes remaining in the contest. Following a UNLV bucket that cut the advantage to one possession, 55-52, Beemer gave the Rams some much-needed breathing room with her sixth three-pointer of the night to push the Rams led to 58-52.
Following a Beemer jumper at the 2:39 mark, the Rams’ final bucket of the game, CSU led 70-62, but UNLV scored the game’s final six points, and despite free-throw miscues by Zoi Simmons, Kim Mestdagh and Britney Minor, the Rams held on for the one-point victory.
Beemer’s 25 led all scorers in the game, as she was the lone Ram to finish in double-figures.
“Early on, I was really surprised that they let her (Beemer) go,” added Holt. You just can’t leave her open. For her to have a game like that is outstanding.”
Minor and junior Alison Cheney, making her first-career start at CSU, each added nine points for the Rams, while senior forward Amaka Uzomah pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
India Chaney, Jamie Smith and Erica Helms paced the UNLV, scoring 16, 15 and 12 points, respectively. Cheney also led UNLV with seven rebounds.
As a team, the Rams shot a season-best 46.6 percent (27-for-58), while holding UNLV to 41.8 percent (23-for-55) and outrebounding the Lady Rebels by a slim 36-34 margin.
Colorado State will look to continue its momentum Saturday when the Rams play host to the conference-leading Utah Utes (10-6, 3-0 MWC). Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. MT from Moby Arena.
