WOMEN’S BASKETBALL / BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT : UNLV Rolls Over Fullerton, 98-68

No banana splits.

And this time, there will be no ice cream sundaes or spaghetti dinners, either.

There is only the off-season.

Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball Coach Deborah Ayres surprised her team with banana splits at a practice before an upset victory over UC Santa Barbara last week, but by the time her Titans were finished melting before Nevada Las Vegas, 98-68, in the quarterfinals of the Big West Conference tournament Wednesday at the Long Beach Arena, Ayres felt anything but syrupy.

“Yeah, I think I was ready,” Ayres said. “I was hoping our team was ready. Yesterday at practice, we looked too mellow. We were not fired up enough. I told them I hoped they were fooling me, but we came out and played the first half like we practiced. And that is not good.”

UNLV (23-4) raced out to a 25-6 lead midway through the first half, and that was pretty much it. Fullerton’s first half included 18 turnovers and 30% shooting. The Titans watched second-seeded UNLV shoot 71% from the field.

“That shows me our defense wasn’t aggressive,” Ayres said.

Allison Jackson led Fullerton (8-19) with 23 points. Teresa Jackson, the Big West player of the year, had 29 points and 10 rebounds for UNLV. Gwynn Hobbs and Mary Guinan both scored 18 points, Hobbs making all seven of her shots and both of her free throws.

Hawaii 88, Nevada 71--Top-seeded Hawaii had more trouble with the time-zone change than with Nevada. Although the Wolf Pack cut Hawaii’s lead to 51-45 with 14:28 to play, the Rainbows scored the next 10 points and never looked back.

Forward Valerie Agee scored 20 points and took 10 rebounds for Hawaii (27-3), and center Jennifer Hurt scored 16. Ann Barry led Nevada (4-22) with 16 points.