Box Score
RENO, Nev. Junior Dellena Criner and freshman Johnna Ward each scored in double figures Saturday night to lead the Nevada women’s basketball team past Sonoma State 68-40 in an exhibition game at Lawlor Events Center.
Nevada, who never trailed in the game, jumped out to a 6-0 lead with Criner scoring four of the Pack’s first six points in the game. Nevada went on an 11-0 run to push the score to 23-9 with 7:43 left in the first half.
Nevada shot 42 percent (14-for-33) from the floor in the first half, and shot 57 percent (4-for-7) from three point range to take a 36-21 lead at the half. The Pack’s defense held the Seawolves to 16 percent (3-for-18) shooting in the first half and forced Sonoma State to commit 13 first-half turnovers.
The Pack’s aggressive defense continued in the second half as Nevada went on a 14-0 run in the second half, increasing its lead to 61-34.
Criner finished the game with a game-high 18 points, shooting 5-5 from the floor and 2-2 from behind the arc. Ward, a native of Spring Creek, Nev., and one of five Pack newcomers to see playing time, was Nevada’s second-leading scorer with 10 points. She also ended with a game-high four steals. Freshman Shavon Moore, who scored nine points, and sophomore Marianne Lombardi each pulled down a team-high six rebounds as the Pack out rebounded the Seawolves 47-35.
“We’ve got a lot to work on, but this is a good starting point to work on our rotation,” head coach Kim Gervasoni said. “We have to do a better job defensively. We ran the floor well and we did a better job in the second half of not fouling.”
Nevada will open the regular season at home on Nov. 9 and 11. The Pack will face Santa Clara on Friday at 7 p.m. and will take on San Diego State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
