Hampton helps UNLV start fast

After undergoing two offseason knee surgeries, Shamela Hampton doesn’t have as much jump as she did in her first two years at UNLV.

But the 6-foot-3-inch junior center made her presence felt in the Lady Rebels’ 73-57 season-opening win over Long Beach State on Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Hampton scored 16 points, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and took two charges.

“In my freshman and sophomore years, I’d try to block shots,” Hampton said. “But this year my role is to take charges and be the team leader on that, so everybody else will do it.”

Hampton took a charge at the end of the first half, in which UNLV led 39-27, and took another to start the second half.

Sequoia Holmes, who led all scorers with 28 points, opened the second half with a fast-break layup to give the Lady Rebels a 41-27 edge, but Long Beach (0-1) responded with a 9-1 run to make the score 42-36.

The Lady Rebels answered with an 8-0 run, with six of the points by Hampton, to push their lead to 15, and Long Beach State got no closer than nine after that.

“Shamela Hampton played big for us, considering she’s not 100 percent yet,” UNLV coach Regina Miller said. “She rebounded, she played aggressive and she made most of her shots around the basket.”

Hampton made 5 of 7 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws.

Holmes, the Lady Rebels’ only senior, scored eight of their first 10 points and finished with 16 in the first half as UNLV sprinted to leads of 10-2, 26-13 and 39-22.

“I came in the game really focused,” said Holmes, who added eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. “My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball.”

UNLV guard Dominique Harris added 12 points and freshman Fanny Tirtiaux 10.

Guards Karina Figueroa (14 points) and Valeriya Musina (13) sparked Long Beach.

The Lady Rebels compiled a 51-31 rebound advantage and forced 21 turnovers, but they also had more turnovers (22) than assists (17).

“We were able to build some confidence, but we know we didn’t play up to our capabilities,” Miller said.

UNLV will play Loyola Marymount at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Thomas & Mack.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0354.