LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -  After trailing by 14 points in the opening quarter, UNLV wore down New Mexico over the final 30 minutes, holding the nation's top scoring offense to just 17 second half points, including only four in the fourth quarter on the way to a 78-60 victory in the opening contest of the two-game series between the two teams in Mountain West women's basketball action from the Cox Pavilion Friday afternoon. UNLV improved to 5-5 overall and 3-2 in league play with its third win in the past four games, while the Lobos, held to more than 35 points under its season average, suffered their first loss of the season to drop to 5-1, 2-1 in the MW.

Key in the win for UNLV was its play inside and on the boards, as the Lady Rebels held a commanding 54-38 advantage on the boards, which led to a 19-5 edge on second chance points. The Lady Rebs' aggressive play also forced the Lobos into 23 fouls for the game, leading to 22 free throw attempts for the home team (with 15 makes). The Lobos meanwhile were awarded just five free throws, and had two players foul out in the fourth quarter. 

Though both teams started out cold from the floor, the Lobos would hit four treys in the opening quarter and then was fouled on a three-point attempt, making all three for its largest lead of the game at 21-7 with two minutes left in the first quarter. It was a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and the Lobos threatened to open up the game in the second after knocking down 6-of-11 from three-point range. UNLV's bench players came up big however, scoring 17 total points in the second quarter, thanks to six points each from Tianna Carter and Keyana Wilfred. That helped UNLV close within single digits, 43-35 at the halftime break.

UNLV used an early third quarter 8-0 run to make it a one-possession game and would tie it twice in the third, but the Lobos answered back with back to back layups for a 56-52 advantage with 2:01 to play in the third.

THE TURNING POINT: Following the two layups, the Lobos were completely shutdown on offense, as UNLV forced four missed shots to end the quarter, while Bailey Thomas stole a pass and would then score with 36 seconds left in the quarter for a 57-56 UNLV advantage. The Lady Rebels would not trail again, allowing just four points in the fourth and none in the final 6:44 of the contest. UNM made just 2 of its final 17 shots from the floor, while the Lady Rebels scored 26 points over the final 11 minutes for the 18-point victory.

LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Delaynie Byrne scored 13 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, almost outscoring New Mexico by herself, as she finished 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three-point range. She added five rebounds, two assists and a block in the victory.

STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV shot 16-of-36 for 44.4% from the floor and 6-of-15 from three-point range in the second half for 40% on the way to 43 points, while the Lobos made just 8-of-29 (27.6%) and were 1-of-14 (7.1%) from behind the arc for their 17 second-half points.

QUOTEABLE: "Really proud of our group and our effort and our fight today. That first quarter wasn't going our way, we got back on our heels a little bit, got down by 14, and to then make the kind of turnaround we did, credit our team and their discipline and their fight and how they executed our game plan. We had some great contributions off the bench in the first half, all five players we brought in scored for us and kept us in it so we could have the kind of second half that we did. We've been here before also, we like winning the first game but now we have to turn around and give the same effort, better execution and play even better on Sunday against such an explosive offensive team like New Mexico." - UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque

LADY REBEL NOTES  

* - Joining Byrne in double-figures was Wilfred with 12 points and seven rebounds.

* - All 10 scholarship players scored for UNLV on Friday, with seven scoring at least six points in the victory. New Mexico meanwhile had just four players scored at least six.

* - UNLV also held a big advantage on points off turnovers with a 23-6 margin after forcing the Lobos into 18 miscues.

* - New Mexico had come into the game ranked #43 in the NET rankings, giving UNLV its second top-100 NET win of the season (the other was over Colorado State).

* - The four points scored by New Mexico in the fourth was the lowest ever allowed by UNLV in a quarter in school history.

* - Young, a freshman from Las Vegas, recorded her first career double-double off 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, despite limited minutes in the first half with foul trouble.

* - UNLV finished the game 12-of-27 from three-point range. The 12 three-pointers made is tied for the second-most in a game in team history.

* - Also scoring in double-figures was Johnson with 16 and Delaynie Byrne with 10. Jade Thomas added six points.

* - UNLV's bench scored a season-low three points, but it was a key three as it came off Buckely's last fourth-quarter trey.

* - UNLV held a 43-29 advantage on the boards.  

* - The Lady Rebs finished the night shooting 45.9% (28-of-61) from the floor, 44.4% from three-point range and 70.6% (12-of-17) at the charity stripe.

NEXT TIME OUT: UNLV will host the Lobos in the second game of the series Sunday, Jan. 17 at 2 pm in the Cox Pavilion.