Box Score

LOGAN, Utah (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV PDF Box Score at Utah State

UNLV was held without a field goal for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, and Utah State used a 10-0 run to break open a tied contest and hand the Lady Rebels a 58-49 setback Tuesday night in Mountain West women's basketball action from Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Lady Rebels saw their five-game win streak snapped in the loss, falling to 20-9 overall and 11-6 in league play, which now has them tied for third place in the Mountain West standings along with Boise State. Both the Broncos and UNLV are one game behind Wyoming (12-5), with one game left in the conference schedule. Utah State meanwhile improved to 16-13, and 9-9 in the MW.

UNLV led for the majority of the first three quarters, though the Aggies tied the game at 36-36 on a shot by Shannon Dufficy at the buzzer. Katie Toole, who would score a game-high 16 points while coming off the bench, hit a three-pointer to start the fourth and added another two minutes later, part of a 10-0 run for Utah State for a 46-36 lead. The Lady Rebels could not get their shots to fall in the final quarter, and would eventually fall behind by 12, 52-40 with 2:26 to play. UNLV did make a run at the Aggies, as Dylan Gonzalez connected on a three-pointer and Brooke Johnson added a steal and a basket to cut the deficit to seven points with 1:56 to play. The Lady Rebels came up with another steal, but wouldn't get their next points until there were 33 seconds left, a pair of free throws to make it a 52-47 contest. Utah State hit four-of-four at the line to close out the victory.

The first quarter saw UNLV take advantage of the Utah State zone by knocking down a pair of three-pointers to take a 6-4 lead. The lead would grow to 12-8 at the end of the first quarter, while the Lady Rebels held a six-point advantage four times in the second quarter, the last at 26-20, before the Aggies converted a layup to make it a 26-22 halftime margin.

Utah State scored the first four points of the third quarter to tie the game, though UNLV answered back, and would lead 32-27 on a pair of Jordyn Bell free throws. The Aggies took their first lead since the opening minutes with a 7-0 run to go ahead 34-32. Johnson hit one-of-two at the line, and Dylan Gonzalez buried a trey for a 36-34 Lady Reb edge, before Dufficy's tying score at the end of the third.

UNLV was held to 28.8% shooting (15-of-52) for the game, and 6-of-24 (25%) from three-point range, though the Lady Rebels did make a season-high 92.9% of its attempts at the free throw line (13-of-14). The rebounding battle was even at 35-35, while UNLV was forced into 17 turnovers on the night. Johnson was the lone player in double-figures with 14 points, while Paris Strawther and Dylan Gonzalez both added nine. Dakota Gonzalez, the team's leading scorer this season, was held to five points on 2-of-14 shooting.

Eliza West (13 points) and Rachel Brewster (12 points) joined Toole in double-figures for the Aggies. Utah State shot 42.9% (24-of-56) for the game, was 3-of-16 from downtown for 18.8%, and made 7-of-8 at the line for 87.5%.

The Lady Rebels return home for their regular season finale on Friday, March 3 when they host Fresno State at 6 pm in the Cox Pavilion. There will also be a Pre-Tournament Rally following the game in the Board Room at the Thomas & Mack Center, with just a $5 admission. Friday's game will have a live video stream on the MW Network, available on UNLVRebels.com, while the radio broadcast featuring the call of Adam Candee will be on KSHP 1400 AM.