SAN DIEGO (UNLVRebels.com) — It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. 

Justice Ethridge scored a career-high 22 points to lead UNLV (14-2 overall, 3-0 Mountain West) over San Diego State (12-4, 2-1) 76-70 in a battle for first place in the conference standings Saturday afternoon at Viejas Arena.

"The game was such a battle. It really was about grit and toughness," UNLV Head Coach Lindy La Rocque said. "And we didn't back down, we stepped up. Grabbed a lot of tough rebounds and made a lot of tough buckets."

Ethridge and Essence Booker scored 20 of UNLV's 22 second-quarter points as the Lady Rebels flipped a 19-10 deficit into a 34-30 advantage by halftime. 

Booker came off the bench and scored 7 unanswered as part of a 9-0 scoring run to end the second period. She finished with 17 points and matched a career-best seven assists. 

After the break, Ethridge set the tone for the battle to come. The senior converted a turnover into a layup-and-1 that keyed an 11-3 run. UNLV then fed its frontcourt as post players scored 16 of the Lady Rebels' 21 in the third, led by 8 from Desi-Rae Young.

"Justice is just a different leader. She doesn't say a lot but she works her tail off and plays hard every single possession. Sometimes she's an unspoken hero, but she's been loud the last two games."

SDSU chipped away at the Lady Rebels' lead to close within two possessions with 3 ½ to play. But Ethridge scored four straight to push UNLV in front by 10.

Young recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

"It was a frustrating first half for Desi. We know teams are going to plan different ways to take her on.  I challenged her at halftime and she dictated how the game was played in the second half."

Asia Avinger scored 25 points to lead San Diego State.

UNLV held SDSU to 3-for-24 (12 percent) 3-point shooting and a single second-chance point despite allowing 11 offensive rebounds.

UNLV reached 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 2003-04. The Lady Rebels captured their 10th win in their last 11 meetings with Aztecs.

San Diego State had not given up more than 70 points since falling to No. 2 Stanford, 86-48, in its season opener.

UNLV finishes its California swing with a visit to San Jose State on Wednesday, Jan. 11.