Inside-outside tandem sends Lady Rebels to loss

If Hillary Carlson wasn't beating the Lady Rebels inside, Jade Kennedy was burning them from outside.

Carlson had 34 points and 13 rebounds and Kennedy made 6 of 11 3-pointers to score 18 points as Wyoming built a big lead, then withstood a UNLV rally in a 69-61 win Wednesday at Cox Pavilion.

"We've done a great job on Carlson, and she killed us this time," Lady Rebels coach Kathy Olivier said. "She killed us. And Kennedy ... she killed us."

It was the seventh single-digit defeat this season for UNLV (9-12, 2-5 Mountain West Conference), including five losses by five points or fewer.

As they have in so many games this season, the Lady Rebels staged a comeback that fell just short.

"Our problem is that we dig ourselves such a deep hole, when we try to come back from that, it's a little too late," said UNLV forward Sandrine Nzeukou, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Olivier didn't have a good answer for why her team continually falls behind.

"The good news is we don't give up," Olivier said. "We go very, very hard. But how about doing that from the jump ball for 40 minutes? Maybe I need to be more demanding of them. Maybe it's not on them; maybe it's on me."

Wyoming (15-4, 5-1) went up 40-29 at halftime and led by as many as 16 points, 45-29, early in the second half.

UNLV got as close as 58-53 on Kelli Thompson's 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:04 left. Her driving layup with 2:24 left brought the Lady Rebels to within 61-55, but they could get no closer.

They next play Tuesday at Utah.

"I just think this team has more talent than they know, and we have to put out more," Olivier said. "And we have to do it for 40 minutes."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.