University of Nevada Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - A career-high 18 points from UNLV sophomore Keyana Wilfred and a stifling defensive performance guided the Lady Rebels past Wyoming 54-46 Saturday afternoon in Cox Pavilion in the Mountain West opener for both teams. The contest marked the first of two against Wyoming within the next three days. UNLV improved to 2-2 on the year with the win while the Cowgirls dropped to 1-2.

The 46 points allowed is the fewest given up by UNLV in a MW season opener, as the only other time the Lady Rebels held a team under 50 in their first league action of the season was a 50-48 victory at San Diego State on Jan. 18, 2013. In addition, the Lady Rebels stymied the Cowgirls' shooting rhythm, holding them to just 27.9 percent for the day, the lowest of any UNLV opponent this season.

THE TURNING POINT: Finding themselves facing a 15-14 deficit in the second quarter, Wilfred went to work down low with the Lady Rebels' next six points to give the Rebels the lead at 20-16 with 1:22 left in the period. Adding to a stingy defense that saw UNLV hold Wyoming without a field goal during the last 6:40 of the first half, Wilfred's tear was part of an 11-1 Lady Rebel run before halftime that also included a corner three and layup by Nia Johnson and two more points in the paint from freshman Desi-Rae Young, who had six of her nine points in the first half while making her first career start.

LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Wilfred enjoyed a monstrous performance on a 6-of-9 shooting mark from the field. The sophomore standout erupted coming out of the halftime break with 10 points in the third quarter. In addition, Wilfred found success drawing contact and going to the line leading to a team-high six free throws.

STAT OF THE GAME: The Lady Rebels did not allow the Cowgirls to reach double digits in a quarter until the third, with just eight points allowed in both the first and second quarters. That marked the lowest totals allowed by UNLV in a quarter this season and the first time a team was held to single digits in a quarter as well. 

QUOTABLE: "Obviously we love being undefeated here in conference at 1-0. That was our goal and I'm really proud of our effort, specifically our defensive effort in the game today. It was really awesome. We had a good scouting report and they locked in, they focused and they executed. Offensively, it wasn't our best shooting night, we turned the ball over too much, but the good news is we play them again and we have another opportunity to right some of those wrongs. Our challenge is to bring the same defense for the next game that we had today." - UNLV Head Coach Lindy La Rocque

UNLV NOTES:
*In her first career start, Desi-Rae Young finished with nine points and eight rebounds, finishing second on the UNLV squad for both categories on the day.
*Sophomore Delaynie Byrne finished just shy of her second double-double on the season, pulling down 11 rebounds and matching Young with nine points.
*The Lady Rebels continue to receive an offensive boost off the sidelines, finishing with a bench advantage of 26-8 for the afternoon. UNLV's bench is currently averaging 25.2 points per game in four contests this year, during which span the Lady Rebels bench has outscored the opposing bench three times.
*UNLV's 26 points in the paint marked the highest offensive output in the low post on the season.
*The six blocks by the Scarlet and Gray also gave the squad a team high in swats for a game this year. Byrne's pair of blocks led all Lady Rebels in that area, which was followed by one block each from senior Bailey Thomas, sophomores Nia Johnson and Jacinta Buckley, as well as freshman Jade Thomas.

NEXT TIME OUT: UNLV continues its two-game series against Wyoming on Monday as part of the COVID-19 format announced by the MW. The contest is set to start with another 1:30 pm contest in the Cox Pavilion.