MALIBU, California (UNLVRebels.com) - Â UNLV's senior duo of Rodjanae Wade and LaTecia Smith combined for 39 points and the Lady Rebels used a smothering defensive effort to hold Pepperdine to 22.4% shooting on the way to a 69-44 road victory Sunday afternoon in women's college basketball action from Firestone Fieldhouse. Pepperdine came in with a 5-2 record, but found themselves down 46-23 three minutes into the third quarter as the Lady Rebels would improve to 3-5 for the season with their first road victory of the season.
The Lady Rebels allowed just five made field goals in the first half while slowly building up a double-digit advantage, which stood at 34-23 at the break. That was thanks to a season-high 25 points in the first quarter. UNLV then blew the game open in the third quarter with a 12-0 run over the first four minutes. Justice Ethridge capped the run with a trey to make it 46-23 at the 6:20 mark of the quarter. The lead grew as high as 28 near the end of the fourth quarter.
Â
LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Wade nearly missed her sixth double-double of the season, as she tied her career-high with 21 points and added nine rebounds.
STAT OF THE GAME:Â Pepperdine was held to 11-of-49 from the floor for 22.4%, and made just 2-of-14 from three-point range (14.3%).
LADY REBEL NOTES
* - The 25-point victory was the largest win margin by the Lady Rebels on the road since an 86-48 win at Air Force on Feb. 25, 2012.Â
* - UNLV, who leads the Mountain West in rebound margin, won the battle of the boards 51-36.
* - The Lady Rebels held big advantages in points off turnovers (24-9) and points in the paint (36-16).
* - Haley Rylach reentered the startling lineup and made the move pull off with a career-high tying 11 points, third-highest on the team.
* - Freshman Isis Beh posted eight rebounds off the bench.
* - UNLV shot 40% (26-of-65) from the floor and was 14-of-22 at the free throw line (63.6%).
NEXT UP: UNLV will play two road games next weekend, starting Saturday, Dec. 14 with a 2 pm contest at USC.
