Nevada women grab No. 1 seed

RENO - Jessica Larsen and Angie Heer combined to ignite an eight-minute charge midway through the second half that lifted the University of Nevada women's basketball team past North Texas, 76-57, in a showdown between Big West Conference East Division leaders on Saturday.

Nevada (8-6, 18-9) outscored North Texas 22-4 to erase a six-point deficit and come back to secure a win that gave the Wolf Pack the division's No. 1 seed coming into next week's Big West Tournament in Reno. North Texas ended its regular season 8-6 in division, 17-10 overall.

Five players scored in double figures for Nevada, led by Larsen's 18 points. Antionette Bryant, Kate Smith and Katie Golomb added 13 each and Heer 11.

It was Heer and Larsen who took charge when the Wolf Pack trailed 43-37 with 14:00 remaining. Larsen banked a shot off the glass to tie the score 44-44, then Heer buried back-to-back 3-pointers off assists from Larsen to make it 50-44. Heer scored eight points to go with two rebounds, one steal and one assist during a four-minute stretch in which the Wolf Pack stretched its lead to 59-47. Larsen scored five points during the same span.

Ashley Norris scored 11 points and Jalie Mitchell 10 to lead North Texas.