Feb. 24, 2016
Box Score
UNLV badly needed a bounce back win coming into Wednesday night, and the Lady Rebels accomplished just that as they led nearly the entire game in an impressive 78-68 victory over Boise State in Mountain West women's basketball action from the Cox Pavilion. The win, the 11th of the year at home for UNLV, also moved the Lady Rebels back into fifth place in the Mountain West at 8-8, and 15-12 overall. The Broncos meanwhile dropped to 16-10, and 9-6 in league play.
Sophomore Brooke Johnson paced the Lady Rebels to their highest scoring game in conference play this year, and highest since the second game of the year. Johnson would finish the night with a career-high tying 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 4-of-5 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the line. She also added a career-high seven assists, while it marked the first time she has posted back-to-back 20+ point games in her career. Aley Rohde scored in double-figures for just the second time this conference season, missing her season-high by one point as she posted 18 points on 8-11 shooting along with eight rebounds and two blocks. Dakota Gonzalez was the third player in double figures with 13 points.
Though UNLV had a strong night from the floor, hitting 46.7% (28-of-60) and knocking down 7-of-16 from three-point range for 46.7% as well, the Lady Rebels won the game on the boards. UNLV held a 38-25 rebounding edge, but more importantly posted a 16-4 edge on second chance points. Another key was the play of the Lady Rebel bench, as Paris Strawther, Jordyn Bell and Dylan Gonzalez combined for 14 points, outscoring their counterparts from Boise State by six.
Both teams showed off their long range distance to start the game, combining to hit five of their six attempts. Shalen Shaw's three at 6:51 would put BSU ahead 9-9. The lead grew for the Broncos to four, 15-11 with 4:47 to go in the quarter. UNLV then forced four Bronco turnovers and five missed shots over the rest of the quarter, while running off 12 straight for a 23-15 lead with 1:08 on the clock off a Dylan Gonzalez layup. Boise State converted a layup in the final minute to make the end of quarter score 23-17 in favor of UNLV.
UNLV led by as much as 11 in the second quarter, 28-17 off a layup from Strawther. Boise State stayed close, cutting the lead to four with 2:47 left, and then used a 5-0 spurt to make it a one-possesion game, 38-35 off a three-pointer with just under a minute left. UNLV worked for the last shot of the half, and found Johnson alone in the right corner. She buried the trey as the half ended, sending the Lady Rebels to the lockerroom with the 41-35 edge.
The third quarter saw four quick points from UNLV again push the lead to double-digits, thanks to a jumper from Dakota Gonzalez for a 45-35 margin. An 8-1 run from the Broncos cut the lead to three, and it would get as low as two, 50-48, off a three-pointer by Yaiza Rodriguez. UNLV answered back with a pair of free throws to go ahead four, and again would end the quarter with a three-pointer, this time a trey from Dylan Gonzalez off a Johnson assist. That shot gave UNLV a seven-point edge, 59-52 with just 10 minutes to play.
The Broncos cut the lead down to five, 65-50 on another Rodriguez trey, with 6:69 to play. They were then held scoreless for a 3:44 stretch.during which UNLV pushed the lead back to 10, 70-60. Boise State had one last rally, as back-to-back three-pointers from Marta Hermida brought the visitors within 70-66 with 2:25 on the clock. UNLV then hit the dagger on the other end, as an offensive rebound was passed around before coming to a wide open Johnson, who drained it for a 73-66 lead and just under two minutes to play. A quick miss on the other end led to a wide open layup for Rohde, and UNLV would close out the win from there.
Four players finished in double-figures for BSY, paced by Hermida's 17 points thanks to her 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Rodriguez added 12 points and nine assists. The Broncos shot 47.4% (27-of-57) for the game, though a game-low 33.3% in the fourth quarter. They were 11-of-31 from three-point range (35.5%), and 3-of-4 at the line. Both teams turned the ball over 17 times each and finished with seven steals each.
UNLV will play its final regular season road game on Saturday, with a 1 pm (PT) contest against the Wyoming Cowgirls in Laramie.
