Box Score
RENO, Nev. The University of Nevada women’s basketball team recorded the biggest victory in program history Saturday night as the Pack upset #7 Louisville 85-82 in the final of the 2008 Nugget Classic.
The win marks Nevada’s (4-3) first-ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent and #7 Louisville (5-1) marked the highest ranked team Nevada had ever faced.
With the win, the Pack claimed the 2008 Nugget Classic title, marking the second year in a row, and the third time in the last four years, that Nevada has won the Nugget Classic title.
Dellena Criner, who was name Classic MVP for the second consecutive year, led four Nevada players in double figures with a season-high 25 points in the win, including a 10-for-10 performance from the free throw line. Freshman Kayla Williams added a career high 15 points while Brandi Jones scored 11 and Cherlanda Franklin added 10.
Louisville led by seven early, 13-6, with 15:50 remaining and extended their lead to 11, 24-13, on a lay up by Janae Howard with 10:31 left in the first half. The Pack cut the lead to two points, 31-29, on a lay up by Williams as Louisville took a 36-33 lead at the break.
The Pack shot 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from the floor in the first half while Louisville shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27). Williams led all scorers at the break with nine points.
In the second, the Pack took its first lead since early in the first half on a three pointer from Criner to put Nevada ahead 38-36. Nevada went up by six, 52-46, with 14:16 left to play on jumper by Jones.
Over the remaining 14 minutes of play, the game featured six ties including a 72-72 tie with 3:10 left to play. Criner hit a pair of free throws with 1:28 left in the game to put Nevada ahead 80-74 and help secure the win for the Pack.
Louisville All-American Angel McCoughtry led all scorers with 34 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the floor. She also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
For the Pack, Jones recorded a team-high eight rebounds as Nevada out-rebounded Louisville 33-30 in the game marking the sixth time in seven games this year Nevada has either out-rebounded or tied its opponent in rebounding.
As a team, the Pack finished the game shooting 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the floor while the Cardinals shot 50.8 percent (32-of-63). Nevada recorded 21 assists on 28 field goals.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Angel McCoughtry, Louisville
Candyce Bingham, Louisville
Nicole Clausen, Northern Iowa
Ericka Russell, Alabama
Cherlanda Franklin, Nevada
MVP: Dellena Criner, Nevada
