LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — Illinois State entered Sunday aiming for the best start in its women's basketball program's history. They'll have a chance to try again next year.

UNLV ran its record to 7-0—its best in 32 years—as it held off the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions 73-66 in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament Championship Game at Cox Pavilion.

Desi-Rae Young scored 17 points and Justice Ethridge added 16 as four Lady Rebels scored in double figures. 

"The game plan was to do something we've never done before," Young said, "and that was trap on ball screens. We were very, very efficient. I thought it was a great change by our coaches."

UNLV frustrated Illinois State (5-1) into 15 first-half turnovers as it quickly built a 10-point lead that ballooned to 22 points midway through the third quarter.

"I thought we played really well in the first half," UNLV Head Coach Lindy La Rocque said. "We knew in the second half we were going to get their best shot. Ultimately we were able to manage the game late, made some critical plays down the stretch that won the game."

UNLV led 55-33 with 6 minutes to play in the third period, but turned over the ball in nine of the next 12 possessions. Ethridge ended the bleeding with a rejection of Ta'Shonna Wright-Gaskins' jumper, which allowed the Lady Rebels to slow the pace and force the Redbirds to foul.

"We had a goal coming into this weekend: to win the tournament. Three games in three days—it takes a lot."

Ethridge and Booker scored UNLV's final five points at the line and only Maya Wong's desperation 3 at the final buzzer kept the game from being a double-digit victory.

Ethridge shot 3-for-7 from 3-point range, dished three assists and pinched three steals.

"Justice gives us every ounce of energy she has. She left it all out on the court this whole weekend. And we needed every bit of it. She's the defensive player of the year and we haven't even started."

Illinois State was led by 19 points from Paige Robinson. Wong scored 13 and Wright-Gaskins had 10.

UNLV's Nneka Obiazor totaled 11 points and seven rebounds. Essence Booker counted 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Kiara Jackson made her first collegiate start in place of Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, who along with freshman teammate Erica Collins, sat out due to illness. 

Young was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Ethridge and Obiazor were joined on the all-tournament team by Illinois State's Robinson, DeAnna Wilson, East Tennessee State's Nevaeh Brown and Louisiana Tech's Keiunna Walker.

UNLV takes its first road trip of the season when it visits the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, on Saturday, Dec. 3.