LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — Desi Rae Young led the Lady Rebels with 20 points as UNLV (8-3) outlasted Hawaii (3-6) 70-63 Tuesday afternoon at the Cox Pavilion.
Young scored 10 straight during a 14-3 scoring run that UNLV used to take the lead for good after 12 first-half lead changes and ties left the score knotted 26-26 at halftime.
And yet it was her time on the bench late in the third quarter where Young's impact was loudest, cheering and coaching for her teammates as they extended their lead.
"Desi is a great teammate," UNLV head women's basketball coach
Lindy La Rocque said. "Her greatest qualities are her passion and energy. When she's not on the court, she continues that on the bench, which I really think brings us a lot of life."
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Young and
Essence Booker returned in the fourth period to score eight points apiece with half of the total coming from free throws in the final minutes.
It was an antithesis of the first period in which UNLV's two leading scorers were held without a single point.
"People think it's about Essence or me because we're the leading scorers, but we're really a team," Young said. "They showed a lot of effort and grit."
UNLV led 15-14 after the first period. Freshman
Kiara Jackson and sophomore
Nneka Obiazor subbed in to replace Booker and Young at the 5-minute mark. Each converted a steal into points as UNLV counted 8 from its bench in the first quarter.
The Lady Rebels survived seven turnovers in the second period to maintain an even margin with the Rainbow Wahine. Having fallen behind by 26-23, Booker lobbed to freshman
Kenadee Winfrey at the left corner, who then tossed to a trailing
Alyssa Durazo-Frescas for a game-tying 3 to conclude first-half scoring.
Young added four rebounds and drew nine fouls in a game that was decided at the charity stripe.
The Lady Rebels made 25 of 34 free throws, including 12 of 16 in the final 2 1/2 minutes.
Booker totaled 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Jackson scored 11 points and
Nneka Obiazor contributed 10.
Hawaii senior Amy Atwell scored a game-high 28 points. Atwell hit seven of 13 3-point attempts.
UNLV escapes for a seven-day break before visiting Fresno State on Tuesday, Dec. 28, to begin the conference schedule. The Lady Rebels return to Las Vegas on New Year's Eve for a 2 p.m. tip off against Wyoming.
HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: UNLV sophomore
Jade Thomas and Hawaii freshman Daejah Phillips found each other matched against one another after playing as teammates at Las Vegas' Centennial High School. Thomas had the better outcome Tuesday with three points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Phillips was held scoreless.
PAINTBALL: UNLV outscored Hawaii 36 to 12 in the paint. Hawaii did hit on 38 percent (12-of-32) of its 3-point attempts, but made only 29 percent (8-of-28) of its 2-point field goals. Conversely, UNLV struggled from beyond the arc but drained 62 percent (21-of-34) of its 2-pointers.
BLOCK PARTY: UNLV senior
Justice Ethridge blocked three Hawaii field goal attempts, a career single-game high. Ethridge entered the game with only two blocks this season and 13 for her career.
ALL-STAR SUPPORT: Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson was joined courtside by her parents Roscoe and Eva as they joined the 649 in attendance cheering the Lady Rebels.
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