La Rocque’s Lady Rebels lean on defense to escape Moby Arena with win

A cold shooting stretch down-the-wire wasn’t enough to knock off the UNLV Lady Rebels as the team won through its defense, picking up their second straight conference win.

UNLV ousted Colorado State, 83-78, Saturday, Jan. 6 from Moby Arena after recording more than 100 points in the team’s Mountain West opener. Dating back to previous seasons, the program has now won 20 straight regular season conference games.

Three years into her role as head coach of the Lady Rebels, Lindy La Rocque owns a 48-8 conference record.

This season’s team is 12-1 overall as it gets set to return home for a single home game inside the Cox Pavilion. UNLV will host San Jose State Wednesday, Jan. 10 with tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

For the final 4:20 of regulation, the Lady Rebels went without a field goal with only four points coming off free throws. On the other end, the team held the Rams to just seven points on 2-for-6 shooting as they attempted to climb back into the game.

Colorado State cut the once double-digit lead down to four points three different times in the fourth quarter but could never climb any closer. Earlier in the final frame, UNLV led by as many as 12 points.

One of the times the lead was cut to four, junior forward Alyssa Brown snagged an offensive rebound before being fouled by the defense. As a team, the Lady Rebs outrebounded the Rams, 49-30, this includes a 13-3 mark on the offensive glass. As a result of that edge, UNLV won the second chance points category by 20.

Brown set a new career-high with 17 boards on the day to go along with 14 points on 80% shooting.

Five Lady Rebels scored in double-figures including senior center Desi-Rae Young who did so  for the third straight game after having her streak broken at Seton Hall. She shared in the team-high along with freshman guard Amarachi Kimpson, each posting 16 points.

Fifth-year guard Ashley Scoggin was the final starter in double-figures with 10 points while reserve forward Nneka Obiazor added 12 points of her own in 20 minutes of action.

Junior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas didn’t start for the first time since her freshman year after hurting her lower right leg in the team’s last outing against Utah State. She scored three points on one make in just 14 minutes on the floor.

Sophomore guard Jasmyn Lott started in her place and recorded four points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 28 minutes.