Halman stars in setback

RENO, Nev. — Though the UC Irvine women’s basketball lost, 69-68, to Nevada on Sunday, the game just might be considered as Naomi Halman’s breakthrough performance.

The 6-foot-4 freshman from the Netherlands scored a career-high 22 points, 20 of those coming in the second half.

However, the Wolf Pack’s Dellena Criner hit a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left for what proved to be the winning points for Nevada (5-5) in its nonconference home victory.

Halman scored eight unanswered points during a two-minute, seven-second span, pulling the Anteaters (2-7) within 65-64 with 1:17 left.

Later, after Criner’s two free throws, UCI’s Annie Mai missed a potential game-tying three-pointer with three seconds left and Stephanie Duda was just able to convert the put-back at the buzzer for the final score.

“We should have won,” UCI Coach Molly Tuter said in a phone interview. “I’ve seen the potential of our team. I know what this team is capable of. If we would have played that aggressively [as in the second half] we would have won.”

Tuter also said she hopes Halman builds confidence from her performance.

Halman hit 10 of 13 field goals for the game. Duda tied her career high with 16 rebounds in posting her fifth double-double of the season as she added 18 points. Senior guard Angie Ned scored 19 points, hitting 7 of 13 from the floor. Junior Christina Zdenek, who scored five points, suffered a knee injury late in the first half and did not return.

UCI plays at UNLV Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Nonconference

Nevada 69,

UC Irvine 68

UCI -- Halman 22, Duda 18, Mai 4, Ned 19, Zdenek 5.

3-pt. goals -- Zdenek 1.

Technicals -- None.

Nevada -- Sitton 2, Lombardi 5, Fitzgerald 9, Graham 23, Criner 7, Henry 6, Price 5, Hammond 8, Harris 4.

3-pt. goals -- Graham 1.

Halftime -- 39-31, Nevada.