Lady Rebels’ new mother finding her stride

Five weeks after giving birth, Lady Rebels point guard Erica Helms already was running up and down the stairs at the Thomas & Mack Center.

On Sunday, less than nine weeks after her daughter, Tremiyah, was born Sept. 22, the senior point guard scored her first points of the season in UNLV's 67-54 victory over rival UNR at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Helms sank two free throws with five minutes left to give the Lady Rebels (3-0) their largest lead, at 63-44, and she also hit a jumper.

UNLV's leading scorer last season, with 13.3 points per game, the 5-foot-7-inch Helms finished with four points and two rebounds in eight minutes.

It was her longest stint of the season after playing a total of seven minutes, and taking only one shot, in the Lady Rebels' first two games.

"It's just been a struggle getting back in shape. I thought I would bounce back quicker just because I've never been out of shape," Helms said. "I never got big during my pregnancy -- I only gained 10 pounds -- but just being off for that long, your legs and your knees are not used to running. It's been difficult, so it felt good to get over the hump and score in a game."

Helms, 21, started practicing with UNLV as soon as she was cleared to do so, just six weeks after having her child -- a fact that impressed, but didn't surprise, Lady Rebels coach Kathy Olivier.

"I'm not going to act like I expected that, but I kind of did," Olivier said. "She has this mindset that she'll be back before you know it. She has that tenacity … to get back in shape. She started running when she got cleared, she got in the weight room more, and she was in (the gym) taking extra shots."

Helms also quickly has learned how to successfully juggle her roles as a new mother, student and athlete.

"It's just staying strong and keeping everything in balance," she said. "It's actually been fun for me, since everything's all new. It's going to be a hectic four more months, but then it will all be over."

On the court, Helms said she's operating at about "70 percent" of her ability. She still needs to get in game shape and doesn't yet have her legs under her.

"They're still a little bit wobbly, when I was running down the court, but I think (they're) coming back," said Helms, who was 1-for-4 from the field Sunday. "I would say one more week and I'll be back (at full strength). I get stronger every day."

So, seemingly, do the Lady Rebels, who held UNR (3-1) 28 points below its season average and limited its leading scorer, Tahnee Robinson, to 18 points.

Robinson, who entered averaging 27.7 points per game, made 5 of 14 shots as the Wolf Pack shot 17 of 61 (27.9 percent) overall.

Kelli Thompson scored 17 points, Lenita Sanford 12 and India Chaney 11 for the Lady Rebels, who went on a 15-0 run in the first half to take a 32-20 lead and never trailed again.

The Wolf Pack got within 37-32 early in the second half, but UNLV answered with an 18-5 run to take a 55-37 lead.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.