Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) -

After shooting 43% in the first half, UNLV was held to just six points and turned the ball over six times in the first 9:56 of the pivotal third quarter, and the Lady Rebels would go on to drop their Mountain West opener by a score of 58-54 at Fresno State on Wednesday night in women's college basketball action. The loss was the third straight for the Lady Rebels, who ended a month-long road trip. UNLV now stands at 7-5 on the year, while the Bulldogs broke their two-game losing streak to improve to 5-7.

The Lady Rebels fell despite a 50-27 overall rebound margin for the game, including 22-9 on the offensive boards. Four Lady Rebels finished in double-figures, led by Amie Callaway's 13 point, nine-rebound performance. Dakota Gonzalez posted her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Brooke Johnson, playing in front of her hometown crowd, posted 12 points and five steals. Aley Rohde narrowly missed a double-double with seven points and 10 rebounds.

UNLV led by as much as nine in the first quarter, and went into halftime leading 30-29, partly fueled by its 27-8 edge on the boards. Once the third quarter started however, UNLV managed just one basket in the first seven minutes, a layup from Johnson after Fresno State opened with a basket to take the lead back. But following Johnson's score, UNLV would go without a point for the next 3:48 of the game. Fresno State took advantage of that drought to go on a 6-0 run and grab a 37-32 edge.

Rohde hit one of two at the line to close within 37-33, before FS scored five of the next seven points. A trey from Brittany Aikens gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game, 42-34 with 3:40 left in the quarter. The lead was still at eight in the final seconds, before Wheatley drove the lane and was fouled for UNLV. She made the first free throw, missed the second, then rebounded her own miss and put it back in at the buzzer to bring UNLV within 44-39.

Fresno State opened the final quarter with a trey for another eight-point edge, but UNLV wouldn't back down, slowly chipping away at the deficit. Back-to-back baskets cut the edge to four points, and following a Fresno State layup, Wheatley converted another three-point play to bring UNLV within 49-46 with 7:05 on the clock. The margin was at three-points again, 52-49, following a pair of free throws from Gonzalez. UNLV then forced a missed shot, but on its next possession, came up empty despite three offensive rebounds, as Rohde was fouled and missed a pair at the line.

FS responded by converting a layup at the other end, and UNLV came no closer then four points the rest of the way until the final 14 seconds. Johnson stole the ball and scored on a short jumper for cut the lead to 57-54, but UNLV was unable to foul the Bulldogs until there was just two seconds left on the clock. FS made one of two for a four-point lead to end the contest.

After the Bulldogs scored the first basket of the game, UNLV scored the next 11 points, with Callaway scored the first five points of the run. Johnson added a trey and Wheatley finished it off with a pair of shots at the line. Fresno climbed back into the game with a 7-0 run of its own, and UNLV would go into the first quarter break with a 13-12 edge.

UNLV led by as much as seven in the second quarter, 23-16 off a Callaway jumper. The Bulldogs again used a run to close the gap, this time an 11-2 spurt to grab at 27-25 edge. A Johnson trey and a Gonzalez jumper in the final seconds gave the Lady Rebels the halftime advantage at 30-29.

The Lady Rebels finished the game 20-of-59 from the floor for 33.9%, were 3-of-20 from three-point range for 15%, and 11-of-18 at the free throw line for 61.1%, after attempting just one free throw in the first half. UNLV was forced into 20 turnovers, giving FS a 22-13 edge on points off turnovers.

The Bulldogs were paced by Aikens with 12 points off the bench. She helped spark a 22-1 advantage on bench points for the host team. Alex Furr and Shauqunna Collins both added 11 points as well. FS shot 42.3% (22-of-52), was 5-of-12 from three-point range (41.7%) and 9-of-16 at the line (56.3%.

UNLV will be back in action with its conference opener on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 7 pm against Colorado State in the Cox Pavilion.