NORMAN (UNLVRebels.com) -
Desi-Rae Young led the way with a career-high 32 points as the UNLV women's basketball (9-0) handed Oklahoma (6-3) its first home loss of the season after the Lady Rebels defeated the Sooners 92-76. The Lady Rebels are 9-0 for the first time in over two decades and for the first time under head coach
Lindy La Rocque.
Young put up 21 points before halftime by shooting 14-for- 23 from the field and drained her first three-pointer of the season. In addition, Young brought down eight rebounds and had two steals.
Kiara Jackson was the second leading scorer of the group, putting up 20 points by shooting 7-for-17 from the field, a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc and was 4-for-6 at the free throw line. Jackson led the team with five assists. Nneka Obizaor had one of her best games thus far this season scoring a season-high 14 points and bringing down a season-high nine rebounds.
Alyssa Brown led the squad in boards with 10 and had a season-high nine points.
Oklahoma was led by Skylar Vann who had 26 points and eight rebounds. Sahara Willams was the second-leading scorer for Oklahoma with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
BACK-AND-FORTH: In the first quarter, the Lady Rebels and Sooners went back-for-forth until OU extended the lead to eight at 22-15. Although the Sooners were ahead 25-22 after the first 10 minutes, the Lady Rebels cut the deficit half and then tied the game 36-36 with less than five minutes left in the second quarter. Going into the break, UNLV held a four-point lead over OU, 46-42. The Sooners then tied the game with back-to-back baskets right out of the break, but the Lady Rebels would again take a four-point lead 51-47 in the third quarter. UNLV and OU kept the four-point difference throughout the third quarter, until Amarach Kimpson hit a pull-up floater in the paint to take a 71-65 lead going into the final frame. In the fourth quarter, UNLV increased the advantage to double-digits, 75-65, and controlled the rest of the game.
SHOOTING PERCENTAGE: UNLV shot 50.0% (36 of 72) from the field for the game and 33.3% (6 of 18) from long range. The Lady Rebels shot 52.8% (19 of 39) from the field in the first half and 47.2% (17 of 36) in the second.
The Sooners shot 43.7% (31 of 71) from the field for the game and 29.0% (9 of 31) from three-pointers. Oklahoma shot 45.9% (17 of 37) from the field in the first half and 41.2% (14 of 34) in the second half.
OTHER NOTES
- The Lady Rebels win over Oklahoma today in Norman, snapped the Sooner's 17 home non-conference game streak.
- This is the first time in the La Rocque era that the Lady Rebels have earned back-to-back wins over a Power 5 opponents.
- UNLV out-rebounded Oklahoma 39-33.
- It was a party in the paint as the Lady Rebels had 56 paint points compared to the Sooners' 36.
- UNLV forced 18 Oklahoma turnovers and scored 17 points.
- There were six lead changes and eight times the Lady Rebels and Sooners were tied.
- The biggest lead UNLV held was a 17-point advantage, 90-73, which came in the fourth quarter with a minute left to play.
- The Lady Rebels now hold the overall series 2-1 against the Sooners.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT: The Lady Rebels will close out the non-conference slate with an East Coast road trip first visiting Seton Hall on Saturday, Dec. 16 with tip-off scheduled for 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on FloHoops (subscription required).
