LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -  Senior Bailey Thomas scored the most points by a Lady Rebel in almost four years, including a game-clinching layup for a five-point lead with just over a minute left to lead UNLV (4-4, 2-1 MW) over Colorado State (7-2, 3-2 MW) 80-76 Thursday night in Mountain West women's basketball action from the Cox Pavilion. 

While both teams came into the game off long layoffs, including a 16-day break between games for UNLV, the Lady Rebels wasted no time in putting points on the scoreboard. Nia Johnson led the way, scoring seven of the team's first 10 points for a 10-2 edge three minutes into the game. In what would become the theme of the game all night long, the Rams would roar back to tie the contest at 10-10, before UNLV ended the quarter up 18-17. 

The Lady Rebels slowly extended the lead to eight at the halftime break, 38-30, and held its largest lead of 11, 43-32 at the 8:05 mark of the third. CSU again rallied, using a 12-1 run over the next 3:19 to make it a 44-44 contest. The game was tied again at 46-46, before Johnson and Desi-Rae Young combined for the quarter's last 10 points for UNLV to put the home team up 56-51. Young then opened the fourth with a basket for a seven-point edge, before the Rams used an 8-1 spurt to tie the game at 59-59 with 7:47 to play. 

THE TURNING POINT: The game was tied a total of four times in the final quarter, with the fourth matching score coming off a CSU layup for a 71-71 game at the 3:30 mark. Bailey Thomas would respond with a trey, her fifth of the game, which was followed by a key three-pointer from Jacinta Buckley who had just entered the game for the first time, that gave UNLV a 77-71 advantage with 2:37 to play. The Rams countered with a three-pointer to close within three, before Bailey Thomas' layup with 1:23 put UNLV back up five. CSU scored off a layup to make the edge three again, but after forcing a missed Lady Rebel shot, came up short on their own layup, and Bailey Thomas made one-of-two at the line to seal the victory.

LADY REBEL OF THE GAME: Bailey Thomas finished the night with a career-high 29 points, including 18 in the first half, as she was aggressive right from the start in driving to the basket. She finished the first half with 18 points, and for the game shot 10-of-25 from the floor, including 5-of-14 from three-point range, while adding six assists, five rebounds and three steals. 

STAT OF THE GAME: In the deciding final quarter, UNLV shot 64.3% (9-of-14) from the floor, its highest percentage of the season in a quarter. That includes knocking down 3-of-4 from three-point range. 

QUOTEABLE: "Anytime we can win a conference game we're never going to complain about that, especially a great team in Colorado State, very well coached, great program. Credit them a lot but really proud of our team. First half we were really good defensively, second half we knew they were going to bring it to us. But we stayed together, and didn't crumble. They made some runs, but we weathered the storm and ended up with more points. Bailey with a new career-high, Desi with an outstanding game, just really proud of our team's effort tonight. We're going to be happy about it but know they are going to make adjustments, so we have to be ready to face them against Saturday at noon." - UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque

LADY REBEL NOTES

* - Bailey Thomas' 29 points was the most scored by a Lady Rebel since Dakota Gonzalez posted 31 against San Jose State.

* - 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 Rams in the second game of the series Saturday, Jan. 9 at 12 pm in the Cox Pavilion.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: The Mountain West announced Thursday that next week's series with New Mexico, originally scheduled to be played in Canyon, Texas, will now be hosted by UNLV in the Cox Pavilion. The games will be played on Friday, Jan. 15 and Sunday, Jan. 17, with tip times for both games at 2 pm.