Women’s basketball team survives slow start

By: Lukas Eggen

Friday, November 13, 2009 - 11:17 PM

Nevada guard Nicole Williams scored a career-high 12 points as Nevada defeated CSU Monterey Bay 63-39. Photo by Casey Durkin/Nevada Sagebrush

After scoring 94 points in its exhibition game, the Wolf Pack struggled to find the basket in the first half. Nevada did not score its first points until almost four minutes into the game and went 9 for 22 in field goals.

In the second half, however, Nevada came alive and used a 20-8 run midway in the half to extend its lead from 13 to 25.

“We got off to a slow start, but we just kept chugging along,” guard Johnna Ward said. “Before we knew it, we were up by 20.”

Head coach Jane Albright said the team just needed to figure out it didn’t have to shoot all the time.

“My team has really good shooters,” Albright said. “But we got to learn we don’t have to settle for that. We have to force the action and not just play HORSE with a team.”

Two of the bright spots for Nevada was forward Marissa Hammond and guard Nicole Williams. Hammond led the Wolf Pack, tying her career-high with 16 points and grabbing six rebounds while Williams added 12 points, a new career-high.

“This was probably the best game I’ve seen (Marissa) play in my young career here,” head coach Jane Albright said. “We executed for her and got her the ball.”

Despite the struggles in the first half, the team isn’t too worried about what transpired.

“Hopefully we got all the rust off this game and will be ready for the next game,” Hammond said.

Although it wasn’t easy, coach Albright said the important thing was that the team got a victory.

“Today is Nov. 13 and we haven’t played an official game yet,” Albright said. “We know this one counts and now we’re 1-0. The second half was much more like how we want to play.”

The Wolf Pack will not get much rest. The team hosts UC Santa Barbara 7 p.m. Monday, a team Nevada lost to 59-37 last season.

“You know, that game was one of the two most embarrassing games for us last season,” Albright said.

And although this is a new season, Albright isn’t willing to forget what happened last year.

“I’m not much of a revenge coach, but I want some respect from them,” Albright said.

Lukas Eggen can be reached at leggen@nevadasagebrush.com.