LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — First it was just a smile. Next a fist in the air. Then a full-on, arms-extended wave to the crowd. Finally to celebrate her fourth made 3-pointer,
Alyssa Durazo-Frescas ran straight to her head coach and slapped hands to say, "I'm back."
Durazo-Frescas scored a season-high 20 points and
Desi-Rae Young was nearly flawless as UNLV (16-2 overall, 6-0 Mountain West) dominated New Mexico (10-8, 2-3) Saturday at the Cox Pavilion.
"We let this one get away from us last year and I think we all kept a chip on our shoulders," Durazo-Frescas said. "Today we stayed poised and executed and came out with the win."
Durazo-Frescas led the Mountain West in 3-point shooting and almost broke UNLV's program record as a freshman. This season, she struggled to find the same form until Wednesday's victory on the road at San Jose State when she went 4-for-9 from 3-point range. But it was this performance in front of her home fans that lifted a gorilla off of her back.
"I believe in her with every ounce of my being," UNLV Head Coach
Lindy La Rocque said. "Every time she shoots it, I think it's going in. It's been that way all year. She hasn't changed at all. She just has to go out there and shoot the ball with confidence."
Durazo-Frescas was 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. The sophomore guard hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter alone, scoring 11 of UNLV's 22 points in the period. The Lady Rebels extended a 10-point halftime lead into 23 and cruised to a victory in front of 1,276 in attendance and a national television audience.
"During halftime," Durazo-Frescas said, "Lindy told us to put them away. We took it to heart and did it."
UNLV led 40-30 at halftime and continued to pour it on after returning to the court. The Lady Rebels distanced themselves with an 11-0 scoring run. Durazo-Frescas stole a bad pass and fed
Essence Booker for an easy layup. Then the roles reversed as Booker found Durazo-Frescas for a 3.
Justice Ethridge buried a 3 on the next trip down and forced a timeout call from New Mexico's head coach Mike Bradbury. And Durazo-Frescas couldn't contain the joy any longer when she was left wide open from the corner for a 3 that put UNLV up 51-30.
Young proved why she is the favorite to claim the Mountain West Player of the Year award for a second straight season. The junior center was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and had a double-double by halftime. Young finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. She also held her defensive counterpart, UNM's leading scorer Shaiquel McGruder, to zero points.
"Desi is our anchor and she knows that," La Rocque said. "Everyone on our team knows that. Everyone in the league knows that. She still delivers."
The Lady Rebels' inside-outside punch left the Lobos reeling. Young picked off more rebounds by halftime than New Mexico's entire team. UNLV's power forward duo of
Alyssa Brown and
Kenadee Winfrey each dished five assists, career-high marks for both. The Lobos' starting five was held to 25 points.
"While it may seem we did it on the offensive end, we did it on the defensive end. We held them to nine points in the third quarter. And that's where the game was won."
Aniyah Augmon came off the bench for 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead New Mexico.
"It was the most important game of the year," Young said. "But so is the next one."
UNLV next hosts Boise State for a second straight nationally-televised women's basketball game. The Lady Rebels and Broncos will tip off at 8 p.m. PT on CBS Sports Network.
