RENO - The Nevada women's basketball team is starting to make a habit of demoralizing other teams with game-ending runs. Last week against Central Florida, the Wolf Pack ended the game on a 28-3 run en route to an 87-54 win. And then on Thursday night against Air Force, Nevada did the same. Only this time, it was more convincing.
Up 48-45 with 13:29 remaining in the game, the Wolf Pack outscored the Falcons 37-8 the rest of the game to run away with an 85-53 win at the Lawlor Events Center.
Air Force (2-7) was held to only two field goals in the game-ending run, including a 10-minute stretch where it failed to score a single basket from the field. The Falcons have now lost five straight games since a 68-57 win over Lamar.
Nevada (6-4), meanwhile, has now won three straight since its 62-58 loss at Utah. More importantly, according to coach Ada Gee, the Wolf Pack won three straight at home.
"Our goal was to win three games in a row at home before the Christmas break," Gee said. "When we get back from the break, we have a tough road trip against UNLV and Pepperdine. So these wins will give us confidence going into those two games."
In the first half against Air Force, just as it did against Wyoming on Tuesday, Nevada came out sluggish. After taking a 16-7 lead early in the first, the Falcons managed to close the Wolf Pack's lead to 16-14. Nevada countered with an 11-0 run, eventually taking a 37-25 half-time lead.
"It seemed like in the first half, the girls were already home for the holidays," Gee said. "We were a bit lethargic, so at half-time, I told them that we needed to come out in the second half and play some inspired basketball."
The Falcons, though, didn't let that happen early on in the second.
Air Force started the half making a pair of 3-pointers to cut Nevada's lead to 37-31. But Ashlee Orndorff's three-point play coupled with an Angie Heer 3-pointer put Nevada back up 43-34. The Falcons answered back with an 11-5 run to the cut lead to 48-45. And then it came, the run of all runs. And although Gee was pleased the game-ending run, she just wishes her team would play with more consistency.
"We need to come out and play with better consistency," Gee said. "Against Wyoming, we had to come back from 17 down to win. But against the better teams, we can't spot them leads or allow other teams back into the game."
A big reason for Nevada's ability to put together these game-ending runs is its great depth. Nine different players scored against Air Force, including four players who scored in double figures. Orndorff recorded her third double-double of the season (16 points, 12 rebounds). Kate Smith had 14 and Rachel Lewis 13. Katie Golomb, who's came off the bench the past three games, had 11.
"I told the girls that it really doesn't matter who starts," Gee said. "It's all about who contributes when they are out there."
Nevada plays UNLV next Thursday in Las Vegas.