By Mohamed Bafakih (@MohamedABafa)
Analyss Benally set the program’s single-season sophomore record with her 48th 3-pointer to open up the second half of San Jose State’s comeback efforts, but UNLV quickly closed the game away with an 80-53 win Wednesday night.
The mark was reached in nine fewer games and was previously held by Kari Steele, who finished with 47 in the 1995-96 season.
“It’s cool,” said Benally, who finished with nine points on 3-for-10 shooting (all 3FG) to extend her record to 49. “I didn’t think I was going to do that, but under these circumstances it kind of feels a bit meaningless.”
The Shiprock, N.M. native’s record-setting triple cut it to a 33-30 Lady Rebels (12-8, 7-2 MW) lead, SJSU’s smallest deficit since trailing 0-2 and part of a 13-2 Spartans (6-15, 3-7 MW) run stemming from the end of the second quarter.
Both teams traded baskets before UNLV changed gears and pulled away with the game at the 9:11 mark of the third quarter.
The Lady Rebels held the Spartans scoreless for the next 5:40, forcing them to 10 consecutive missed field goals and six turnovers. UNLV meanwhile went on a 23-0 run and hit 10-of-15 shots during that span to take a 59-32 lead.
“I’m not kidding, I turned around to talk to somebody on the bench, and I looked up and we were down 11,” head coach Jamie Craighead said. “It was like 20 seconds. Pick-six, pick-six, shot, timeout and then we still give up five straight possessions defensively right out of that timeout.”
Eleven of SJSU’s points in the third came from either Benally or point guard Myzhanique Ladd.
“I consistently told our team that we should go out there with the same momentum we had first half (and) don’t let it drop off,” Ladd, who finished with seven points, nine rebounds and five turnovers, told her team at the break. “I don’t know what happened.”
The Lady Rebels feasted inside once again in their season sweep of the Spartans as they posted 50 points in the paint for the second straight time.
Junior center Katie Powell’s size at 6-foot-4 was an issue all night for SJSU, which allowed her to finish with a career-high 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting along with eight rebounds.
“We just got buried inside,” Craighead said. “When you’re smaller, you gotta be in front of the post players.”
With 6-foot freshman Cydni Lewis being the most consistent big for the Spartans, Craighead added this point in the season is where you make ways for “playing with a killer instinct at all times” and “playing with your guts” happen, instead of waiting for it.
SJSU will look to snap a four-game conference losing streak as it visits New Mexico on Feb. 3.