Lady Rebels cruise despite suspensions

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999 | 11:20 a.m.

What could have been a huge distraction instead served as a source of motivation for the UNLV women's basketball team.

Before the Lady Rebels' home opener Tuesday night against Southern Utah at the Thomas & Mack, the university announced that four players and one assistant coach received suspensions for a "secondary violation of an NCAA rule governing extra benefit legislation."

Sophomores Linda Frohlich, Kinesha Davis, Erin Johansson and Courtney Swanson and assistant coach Staci Schulz received game suspensions for an unspecified rules violation that occurred last December.

Davis and Swanson missed the Lady Rebels' 82-68 victory over Southern Utah Tuesday, as did Schulz. The pair also will sit out Saturday's game against Weber State. Frohlich and Johansson will sit out the Lady Rebels' game against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 28 and Johansson also will miss the Jan. 4 contest against Navy.

The suspensions did little to hamper the Lady Rebels' confidence Tuesday night. Frohlich scored 22 of her game-high 32 points in the first half as UNLV cruised to its first win of the season.

"I told them, this is just adversity ... we can fold to that adversity or stare it in the face and attack it," UNLV head coach Regina Miller said. "I think that the team responded to understanding that it was an opportunity to give other people playing time that might not have gotten playing time.

"The team is young ... but I thought they handled it very well."

Frohlich, who also had a team-leading 10 rebounds and seven assists and a career-high three 3-pointers, said she didn't feel any added pressure to carry the team with Davis and Swanson out of the lineup.

"It's just sad that they had to sit out, but it was a great opportunity for other players to step up and show what they can do," Frohlich said.

Freshman Constance Jinks started at guard in place of Davis and scored a season-high 12 points as four Lady Rebels reached double figures in scoring.

Dayna Gambill added 14 points and Brooke Ingalls 11 for UNLV (1-1).

Sarah Pratt paced the Thunderbirds (1-1) with 17 points and nine rebounds.

UNLV returns to action on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. against Weber State in the opening round of the Cox Communications/Lady Rebel Shootout in the Thomas & Mack.