Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -

Thanks to a 27-3 first half run, UNLV jumped out to a 20-point lead and held San Diego State to just six field goals in the second half in a 64-47 victory Saturday afternoon in Mountain West conference women's basketball action at the Cox Pavilion. With their largest win over the Aztecs since a 17-point win on Jan. 6, 2007, the Lady Rebels improved to 6-10 overall, 3-2 in league play. SDSU dropped to 5-11, and 2-3 in the MW.

"This was a big game for us," said UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier. "We came out with a lot of defensive intensity and it was nice to start out on a good note. If we can build on this win, it will be great. I think we did a great job of moving the ball and playing smothering defense today."

San Diego State scored the first four points of the game, going ahead 4-0 on a jumper from Chloe Johnson at the 18:02 mark. UNLV took over from there, scoring the game's next 16 points. Six players scored during that run, with Jehiah Cook's layup at 11:36 giving UNLV a 16-4 edge. Following a three-point play from Cheyenne Greenhouse to stop the run, the Lady Rebels simply started another, this time 11-0 over a 2:19 span. Briana Charles converted two layups during that stretch, and her basket at 8:37 gave UNLV its largest lead of the game at 27-7. Overall SDSU would go on field goal droughts of 6:53 and 3:18 in the first half.

Foul trouble from the UNLV starters helped the Aztecs climb back into the game. SDSU posted 13 of the final 15 points of the half to make it a 33-28 halftime margin, thanks to a buzzer beater from McKynzie Fort. The Aztecs then scored the first points of the second half, a layup from Erimma Amarikwa, to close within a single possession with 18:06 to play. An 8-2 run from UNLV, which was finished by a three-point play from Alana Cesarz, pushed the edge back to nine points. The Lady Rebels would lead by eight or more for the rest of the way. The final time the game was in single digits was off a free throw from Amarikwa with 5:49 to play for a 53-44 score. UNLV ended the game scoring 11 of the final 14 points for the 17-point victory.

Danielle Miller led all scorers with 17 points while Cesarz posted her fifth double-double of year thanks to 16 points and 13 rebounds. Amie Callaway added 11 rebounds in her second start of the year. UNLV shot 40% (24-of-60) from the floor, was 3-of-12 from three-point range for 25%, and made 13-of-22 at the line for 59.1%. The Lady Rebels won the rebounding battle 44-39, and forced 19 turnovers.

Amarikwa led the Aztecs with 15 points. The next highest scorers were Greenhouse and Ariell Bostick, both with seven. SDSU finished the game shooting 29.3% (17-of-58) from the floor, missed all five of its shots from downtown and were 13-of-22 at the line as well for 59.1%.

UNLV is back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 21, with a 6 pm (PT) road contest at New Mexico in Albuquerque.