LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -  Thanks to a career performance from junior guard Nia Johnson, the UNLV Lady Rebels held off the UNR Wolf Pack in a hard-fought game Saturday night for a 62-57 victory from the Cox Pavilion. It was the first game of both the season series between the two schools and the first game in the Silver State Series, the all-sports competition between the two schools sponsored by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network. With the win, UNLV is now a perfect 22-0 all-time against the Wolf Pack in regular-season games in Las Vegas, while the Lady Rebels moved into a tie for third place in the MW at 6-3 (8-6 overall). UNR meanwhile dropped to 7-7 on the year, 3-6 in the conference.

The Wolf Pack came in averaging only 3.5 three-pointers per game, but knocked down six in the first half, including four in the opening quarter. That helped UNR record from an early 11-0 deficit to take a 14-13 lead, before UNLV's Delaynie Byrne hit a corner trey at the end of the first quarter to put UNLV ahead 16-14. UNR then drained two treys during a 10-0 spurt in the second quarter, which gave the Wolf Pack their largest lead of the game at 24-18 with 4:24 to play.

THE TURNING POINT: Johnson broke the scoring slump for UNLV with a long trey, and sandwiched another in the final minute of the first half around a pair of Bailey Thomas free throws as the Lady Rebels ended the quarter on an 8-0 spurt over the final 4:24. UNR was forced into seven misses over that stretch, and missed its first of the third while two more Lady Rebel treys completed a 14-0 run. That gave UNLV the lead for good and the Wolf Pack could only close within a single possession twice the rest of the way, 35-33 with 6:41 left in the third and 49-46 with 7:48 to play in the fourth.

LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Johnson easily shattered her previous career best by nine points, thanks to a 15-point third quarter explosion. During UNLV's 14-0 game-changing run, she drained four treys, part of a 6-of-11 night from three-point range. Overall, she finished 10-of-19 from the floor for 28 points, and added six rebounds and three assists.

STAT OF THE GAME: Though the Wolf Pack only finished with two more turnovers (11) on the night then UNLV (nine), the Lady Rebels made them pay for the ones they did have, thanks to a 19-6 advantage on points off turnovers for the game. 

QUOTEABLE: "Game one of the Silver State Series, what a gritty win. Really proud of our team, we showed a lot of toughness, we didn't play well on offense but we found a way to win. Obviously Nia Johnson had a great game, when it felt like someone wasn't making their shots, there she was, and we needed all 28 of her points, and Bailey Thomas had another great night. It's a great win, we know what this series means to them and know they are going to come into Monday looking to earn a split, so we need to come out knowing that we have to play better as well." - UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque

LADY REBEL NOTES  

* - The three-game win streak is the longest of the season for the Lady Rebels.

* - Joining Johnson in double-figures was Bailey Thomas with 13 and Byrne with 10, along with a game-high nine rebounds. Byrne also posted a career-high six blocks.

* - UNLV won despite shooting just 35.1% (20-of-57) from the floor. The Lady Rebels did hit 10 three-pointers for the game, out of 31 attempts (32.3%).

* - The Lady Rebels came in as the top rebounding squad in the MW but were outrebounded for the second straight game, 45-40.

* - The Wolf Pack shot better from three-point range (9-24, 37.5%) than they did from two-point range (11-41, ) on Saturday.

* - UNLV is now 22-0 all-time against UNR in regular-season play in Las Vegas, and 38-22 overall. 

* - UNLV's bench was held scoreless for the first time this season, as it was outscored 17-0.

NEXT TIME OUT: UNLV will host the Wolf Pack Monday at 1 pm to close out the regular-season series. 

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