Lady Rebels struggle to find offense in loss to TCU

UNLV women’s basketball coach Regina Miller entered the season hoping she could count on at least three players each game, but many nights the Lady Rebels are a two-person team.

UNLV couldn’t even count on that duo Tuesday in a 56-38 loss to Texas Christian at Cox Pavilion.

The Horned Frogs (11-9, 4-2 Mountain West Conference) kept Lady Rebels center Shamela Hampton from getting the ball and forward Sequoia Holmes was erratic in scoring 13 points as UNLV (6-13, 2-4) lost its fourth in a row.

The Lady Rebels have searched all season for offensive production beyond Holmes and Hampton. Those two entered the game averaging a combined 29.9 points per game.

Point guard Brittany Halberg was supposed to make it a trio, but she came in averaging 6.5 points. She scored nine against TCU but was mostly silent until late.

"We need three people — Halberg, Hampton and Holmes," Miller said.

Holmes, who grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, tried to carry UNLV. She accounted for 34 percent of the Lady Rebels’ scoring but made just 5 of 16 shots.

Hampton never had a chance to be involved, taking three shots and scoring one point.

"They pretty much took everything away that I wanted," Hampton said. "It is frustrating to score one point."

Miller said UNLV could have done more to get Hampton involved.

"I still think we could’ve set her up a little bit better, had an awareness of that," Miller said. "I think there were times she was open that we missed her."

UNLV shot 30 percent, and TCU (30.5 percent) didn’t fare much better. But the difference was the Frogs made 8 of 21 3-pointers compared with 2 of 14 for the Lady Rebels.

TCU’s Helena Sverrisdottir and Helen Roden scored 11 points apiece, with each hitting three 3-pointers.

"Our league, every night will be a tough night, it will be a very competitive night," Miller said. "I just think that we have to continue to try to improve.

"You’ve got to make plays at 7 and not just at 1 at shooting practice and not just in practice."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.