LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -  UNLV nearly pulled off a huge rally in its Mountain West women's basketball opener Tuesday night, as the Lady Rebels trailed by 18 points in the final minute of the third period before cutting the edge to just two points with 20 seconds to go, before Fresno State sank four straight at the line to seal the game for a 72-66 victory.

FIRST HALF: UNLV never led in the game as Fresno State knocked down seven of its first nine shots on the way to a 16-4 lead five minutes in. The Lady Rebels opened the second quarter with a 5-0 run to close within 27-22, but an 11-2 run put the Bulldogs up 42-26 with 1:46 on the clock, and it was a 44-30 lead at the break for Fresno State.

 

GAME RECAP - Lady Rebels show fight entire game in rallying to force a two-point game late before falling 72-66 to Fresno State
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— UNLV Lady Rebels (@UNLVLadyRebels) December 4, 2019

THIRD QUARTER: Fresno State held steady in the third quarter, and opened up its largest lead of the game at 18, 61-43, with 37 seconds left before Melanie Isbell hit a short jumper to make it a 16-point game going into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER: The Bulldogs still held a 63-51 lead with just under seven minutes to play before UNLV made its run. Eight unanswered points brought the score down to 63-59 with 4:27 to play. The Lady Rebels stayed within striking distance, and made it a one-possession game off a Kavionnia Brown layup at 23 seconds. Rodjanae Wade was called for her fifth foul on the other end though, and the Bulldogs sank two free throws for a four-point lead. They would add two more with seven seconds left to account for the six-point margin of victory.

LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Smith just missed her third 20+ point game of the season with 19 off 7-12 shooting and 4-4 at the free throw line. She also added four rebounds in the game.

STAT OF THE GAME: Fresno State outscored UNLV by 12 from three-point range, hitting 7-of-20 while the Lady Rebels were just 3-of-13.

LADY REBEL NOTES

* - This was the earliest the Lady Rebels have ever played a conference game in program history. They will not play another until Jan. 1 at Utah State.

* - Wade posted her league-leading fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

* - Also joining Smith and Wade in double-figures was Haley Rydalch with a career-high 11 off the bench.

* - This is the second time UNLV has nearly pulled off a huge fourth quarter rally. Against Southern Utah on Nov. 19, UNLV trailed by 17 with five minutes left before eventually falling by four in overtime.

NEXT UP: UNLV is off until Sunday, Dec. 8, when it plays on the road at Pepperdine in Malibu, California, with a 2 pm tip.