By STEVE RANSON
Appeal News Service
RENO - Nevada was hoping to give Boise State a sweetheart deal on Valentine's Day.
Instead, the Broncos gave the Nevada women's basketball team the kiss off Thursday by defeating the Wolf Pack, 80-69, before 762 fans at Lawlor Events Center.
The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak at home dating back to a Nov. 11 loss to San Diego State. The Pack falls to 17-6 overall, 8-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. Boise improves to 18-6, 10-2 in league play.
Nevada's loss overshadowed a career-high 22 points from Spring Creek product Johnna Ward. The freshman guard shot 6-of-11 from the field and sunk four 3-pointers. She was also 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
"My 3-point shots were falling for the most part," Ward said.
However, Ward said she needs to concentrate more on defense.
"I to need to work on it when they're coming around me," she said of Boise's guards.
The game was a see-saw affair with the lead changing hands 20 times. Nevada, which struggled for most of the first half and for the first 10 minutes of the second half, appeared to set the tempo after an 8-0 run, giving the Pack a 61-54 lead with 8:46 remaining in the game.
Ward scored six points during the 3-minute surge.
Nevada, though, became its own worst enemy as the Broncos rattled off nine straight points to regain the lead, 63-61, after Tasha Harris canned a long trey.
Harris kept working the Nevada defense for four more points, and Boise began to extend its lead to six points, 71-65, when Sierra Moeller hit a 5-foot jump shot.
Boise coach Gordy Presnell said his players weren't careless in handling the ball during the final 10 minutes.
"We had turned it over a lot to that point," he said.
"I thought Boise's defense disrupted us," said Nevada coach Kim Gervasoni.
Mikail Price, who scored 11 points for Nevada, said Boise was more aggressive.
"They hit more crucial shots ... and we started rushing more," she said.
During Boise's comeback, Price said the Pack missed too many shots, while Boise capitalized on its offense.
"They got the shots in transition," she said, adding her teammates crumbled when the game didn't go in Nevada's favor.
Gervasoni said the Pack started the game sluggishly and finished it the same way.
"Boise had the momentum at the end," she said. "I felt whoever was aggressive at the end would win the game."
The Broncos jumped out to a 9-2 lead and watched as Nevada struggled with missed shots and turnovers. Midway through the first half, the Pack was shooting 25 percent from the floor. Nevada chipped away at Boise's lead and finally tied the game at 18 with 8:28 left in the first half when Brandi Fitzgerald unleashed a long shot from the corner just inside the 3-point line. Nevada took its first lead on Ward's second 3-pointer.
The lead went back and forth four times in the last 1:45 with Boise taking a 36-35 advantage at intermission.
Boise had four players in double figures: Harris (20), Ja' Lara Walker (18), Jenna Galassi (14) and Jessica Thompson (11).
Fitzgerald had 13 points for Nevada, and Cherlanda Franklin added 10.
The game was also a homecoming for former Reed High School player Brittany Moore. The Boise State junior scored three points in 15 minutes of play.
"It was fun. I knew there would be a pretty good crowd tonight," she said. "It was a huge game for us."
Many of Moore's former Reed teammates rooted for her during the game.
"I had no ribbing from my friends," she said. "They were cheering for me when we played Nevada."
Moore, who said she still keeps in contact with many of her high school friends, said Thursday's game was one of Boise's biggest wins of the year.
Matt Williams, who coached Moore in the Jam On IT program, attended the game.
"He was cheering for us, but he wanted Nevada to win," she said.
Presnell said Moore has done a good job with her 3-point shooting.
"I see her blossoming," he said. "She has all the tools to become a good player."