LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Kansas State was unable to overcome a sluggish offensive performance against UNLV in the final game of the BTI Invitational on Tuesday night, as the Lady Rebels defeated the Wildcats 44-38. The loss ended K-State’s five-game winning streak.
The Wildcats (8-3) were paced by senior forward Jalana Childs with 12 points. Joining Childs in double figures was Brittany Chambers with 11 points.
UNLV (10-3) was led by Markiell Styles with a game-high 15 points while also adding seven rebounds. Adding to the Lady Rebels performance was a double-double from Jamie Smith with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Both teams opened the game showing signs of fatigue from playing the third game in three days. UNLV used a 15-4 run midway through the first half to hold a 23-12 lead. K-State was held without a field goal for nine minutes during this stretch before a Chambers layup ended the drought. The Lady Rebels held off K-State in the final minutes of the first half to hold a 23-16 advantage. This was the first time K-State had trailed at the half since Nov. 25 against Purdue.
Kansas State shot just 29.6 percent from the field in the opening stanza and UNLV held a 23-20 advantage on the glass.
K-State cut UNLV’s halftime lead to two, 23-21, following a Chambers three and a pair of free throws by Childs. The Lady Rebels responded with a 9-0 run to hold a 32-21 lead and force a K-State timeout.
The Wildcats answered after the timeout by cutting into the UNLV lead with an 11-0 run of their own, as Childs was responsible for six of those points to tie the game at 32 with 6:37 remaining.
K-State captured its first lead since early in the first half, as Chambers connected fast break lay-in to make the score 34-32. The Lady Rebels responded with a deep three from Thompson with 5:29 remaining to secure a 35-34 lead.
The Wildcats cut a three-point UNLV lead to one on another Chambers layup with 1:38 remaining. K-State forced UNLV to scramble on its next offensive possession, but Mia Bell was able to recover and connect on a long three-point field goal as the shot clock expired to give UNLV a 40-36 lead that K-State could not overcome.
The 38 points by the Wildcats were the fewest in a loss since K-State tallied 34 against Texas on Feb. 3, 2007.
Kansas State will break for the holiday season and will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 29 at Marist.
(Story courtesy of KStateSports.com)
