Glaser emerges as key part of UNLV’s ‘Big 3’

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 10:46 a.m.

Petra Glaser has a theory about why she's been playing so well lately for the UNLV Lady Rebels.

"I don't know, maybe it's because we're getting closer to March," the 6-foot-6 sophomore center from Amtsberg, Germany, said. "I'm shooting better. My percentage is up. And that's good."

Especially if the Lady Rebels want to experience a little March Madness.

Glaser, like more highly publicized teammate Linda Frohlich, is a member of the German National team. But it has been only in the last month or so that the smooth-shooting Glaser has firmly established herself as the Lady Rebels' third scoring option behind Frohlich and explosive point guard Constance Jinks.

"I think she's more confident," Lady Rebel coach Regina Miller said. "We sat down and talked about her just being more aggressive offensively and we wanted her to take the shots that were there in our offense and be more of a threat for us in the paint."

Glaser is third on the team in scoring and is averaging 11.1 points a game in Mountain West Conference play. She had 19 points in the Lady Rebels' big 72-60 come-from-behind win over New Mexico at the Thomas & Mack Center two weeks ago.

"She's always been a hard worker, but I just wanted her to become more of a part of a 'Big 3' with Linda and Constance," Miller said. "Petra is an extremely coachable kid. She's like a sponge as far as grasping information. And she wants to learn and keep getting better."

Glaser had a solid freshman season, averaging 10.9 points per game and earning Mountain West player of the week honors once. But she missed nine games with a knee injury, which slowed her progress.

The tallest player in the MWC, she also has had to learn a more physical style of play. Instead of overpowering smaller defenders in the paint, her main strength is as a mid-range jump shooter. She is hitting 80 percent of her free throws.

"That's kind of the European side of me I think," Glaser said. "I think some people find it strange here for a post player to step outside and shoot. Most players here don't have the range to do that. But if you have it, it's really an advantage. I'm not that strong of a person yet, so I have to make it up with something else."

"I've always considered Petra as kind of a guard in a post player's body," Miller said. "She really enjoys facing the basket and that's really her strength."

The Lady Rebels (17-4, 5-3) travel to San Diego State (9-11, 1-4) on Saturday night before returning home for a Thursday night date against first-place Colorado State (17-4, 6-1).00