LARAMIE, Wyo. (UNLVRebels.com) - Wyoming hit six three-pointers in each half and held off a pair of UNLV runs to open the third and fourth quarters on the way to a 79-57 victory over the Lady Rebels in Mountain West women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Arena Auditorium. UNLV dropped to 9-5, 0-2 in league play with the setback, while the Cowgirls improved to 10-3, and 2-0 in the MW.

The Lady Rebels fell behind by 13 after the first 10 minutes, as the Cowgirls took advantage of five miscues by UNLV for an 8-0 edge on points off turnovers. Wyoming also knocked down four treys in the first quarter, out of seven attempts, to none for UNLV, and was eight-of-eight at the line for a 22-9 advantage. In the second quarter, the Wyoming duo of Marta Gomez and Liv Roberts combined for 16 points to help push the Cowgirl edge to 41-21 going into halftime.

UNLV broke out of its scoring slump at the start of the second half, posting the first seven points of the quarter off a pair of baskets by Brooke Johnson and a layup from Dakota Gonzalez. Wyoming countered with a three-pointer, but UNLV scored four straight, and Dakota Gonzalez's layup with 6:57 to play in the quarter made it a 44-32 game. The Cowgirls then went on a 15-4 run over the next five minutes, opening up a 59-36 advantage before Dakota Gonzalez scored at the end of the quarter to make it 59-38 going into the final 10 minutes.

Again UNLV opened the quarter with a big run, as it scored nine of the first 10 points of the fourth. Johnson's second basket in the first three minutes of the final quarter brought UNLV within 60-47, and the Lady Rebels had a chance to close within 10 after forcing a turnover. But UNLV would miss a short jumper, and back-to-back three-pointers for the home team pushed the Cowgirl edge back to 19 points. UNLV came no closer then 17 the rest of the way.

The Lady Rebels did finish with 36 points in the second half, its highest point total in a half since posting 38 in the second half of the 73-61 win over Idaho on Dec. 3 in Maui. The high scorer on Saturday for UNLV was Dakota Gonzalez with a season-high 19 points, while Katie Powell added 10. Johnson and Dylan Gonzalez both finished with nine each. UNLV was held to 41.5% shooting (22-of-53), was 3-of-8 (37.5%) from behind the arc and 10-16 at the free throw line for 62.5%. UNLV held a slight 30-29 edge on the boards.

Roberts scored a career-high 26 to lead Wyoming, while Gomez chipped in 18. The Cowgirls shot 51% (25-of-49) for the game, were 12-of-22 from three-point land for 54.5% and 17-of-20 at the line (85%).

UNLV will play a second straight road game when it faces first-place Boise State on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 6 pm (PT).