LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — UNLV seniors Justice Ethridge and Essence Booker each scored 17 points to lead the Lady Rebels to a season-opening 80-58 win over Pepperdine Monday night at the Cox Pavilion.

Booker scored 11 points in the first period as UNLV (1-0) used a 10-2 scoring run to take a two-possession lead on Pepperdine (0-1), one the Lady Rebels would not relent.

UNLV was without head coach Lindy La Rocque, who gave birth to her first child on Thursday. In her absence, associate head coach Roman Owen patrolled the sidelines.

"Lindy did something amazing," Owen said. "She said, 'Don't try to be me. Be you.' For her to free me up and let me try to coach the way I feel the game, that's more than I deserve.

"More than anything, I want to protect it—I want to protect what Lindy has built here, what our staff has built, and what the team has built."

After Pepperdine's Ally Stedman started the second period with a 3-pointer to bring the score to 24-19, UNLV clamped down on defense. The Waves were held scoreless for more than five minutes as the Lady Rebels took off on a 12-0 scoring run. Desi-Rae Young scored eight of her 16 points in the span. 

UNLV led 42-27 at halftime.

"I'm really proud of our kids. We wanted to have a party in the paint. We held them to nine offensive rebounds. They had 16 points in the paint. We had 40."

Ethridge hit 5-of-7 from 3-point range and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. She was 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the final period. 

"To have Justice, as 'another' option," Owen said, "That's pretty special. When the moment might seem too big for many, she rises above it."

Alyssa Brown scored nine points. Nneka Obiazor and Kiara Jackson added eight apiece.

Stedman led all players with 18 points. 

UNLV hosts Oral Roberts Friday, Nov. 11, at the Cox Pavilion. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.