Box Score Dec. 6, 2015 Box Score
IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine erased a five-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Nevada women's basketball team 68-64 Sunday afternoon from Bren Events Center.
Sunday's game came down to the wire as the Wolf Pack (0-8) and Anteaters (2-5) were tied at 62 all with just over a minute to play. As the clock ticked to under 60 seconds to go, UC Irvine's Shereen Sutherland hit the short layup to put her team ahead for good, 64-62.
Both teams played a similar opening quarter, trading baskets throughout the first 10 minutes of play. The Wolf Pack and Anteaters, both shot above 50 percent in the first quarter with UC Irvine making just one more made field goal than Nevada. Sophomore Halie Bergman nailed down a three-pointer with 30 seconds left in the quarter to tie things up at 18.
Midway through the second and the Anteaters on a small run, a basket by freshman Riana Everidge brought Nevada within three. Everidge established new career-high in the quarter with her 10th point of the game after hitting a short jumper with one minute to play in the half as the shot clock was expiring. The rookie scored eight straight points for Pack in the last few minutes of the half as Nevada went into halftime trailing by five, 35-30. A chunk of UC Irvine's points, 11 of them, were converted off of seven Nevada turnovers.
Possession for Nevada in the six minute range of the third included a couple of offensive rebounds to keep the ball in Nevada end. Bergman lined up and hit her second three of the game to bring Nevada within one, 41-40. Schmid tallied the next basket for Nevada, giving the Pack the lead for first time since the opening quarter. Nevada used a 10-1 run midway through third to take a five-point lead, 47-42.
After the Anteaters cut it back to two, AJ Cephas collected an offensive board, hit the layup and free throw after she was fouled to stretch it back out to five heading into final quarter.
Nevada clung to a two-point lead halfway through the fourth quarter. UC Irvine tied it at 60 after a stolen inbound pass led to back-to-back baskets. With three minutes left, six straight points for UC Irvine gave it a 62-60 lead. A short jumper by Kelsey Kaelin that rattled in and out tied it at 62. With one minute left, Sutherland hit her layup, giving the Anteaters the lead for good.
Nevada was forced to foul down by two with under 20 seconds remaining, sending Sutherland to the line where she hit one of two. On the Pack's next possession Stephanie Schmid hit a running layup, bringing it back to a one-point deficit. This time Nevada send Mckenzie Piper to the line, who also hit just one foul shot. The upcoming inbound pass for Nevada with 4.6 seconds on the clock was stolen at mid-court by UC Irvine sealing the win.
Nevada finished with three scorers in double figures as Schmid totaled 15 points, Everidge posted 14 and Cephas collected 10 points. Nyasha LeSure was held to just five points but grabbed 11 rebounds. The Pack struggled from the free throw line on Sunday, hitting under 50 percent for the game.
Nevada returns home for its final nonconference game at Lawlor Events Center this Tuesday, Dec. 8 against San Francisco State for its third annual 'When I Grow Up' game, which tips off at 11 a.m.
