LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — It was the All-Las Vegas Team leading the way as No. 21 UNLV held off San Diego State 71-68 in Tuesday night's Mountain West Championship semifinal.

Essence Booker scored 22 points, Desi-Rae Young supplied 20 points and 13 rebounds and Justice Ethridge added 15 in UNLV's 21st consecutive victory. The Lady Rebels advanced to their second championship final.

UNLV (30-2) will face 2-seed Wyoming, 65-56 winners over third-seeded Colorado State, in the Mountain West Championship Game at 7 p.m. PT.

The hometown trio supplied 15 of UNLV's 17 third-period points and stifled the SDSU offense. UNLV held an 11-point lead with 8 minutes to play but watch the lead evaporate as the Aztecs heated up from long range.

San Diego State hit five of six 3-point attempts to close within 1 late in the game. The Aztecs pulled to 60-59 with 1:15 remaining. Booker scored six of the Lady Rebels' next nine points to create a 69-62 game with 22 seconds to play.

Sophia Ramos and Abby Prohaska hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make the score 69-68 before Booker's two free throws capped the scoring with six seconds remaining. Kiara Jackson blocked Ramos' 3-point attempt to seal the victory.

"We knew it was going to be like that: a battle for 40 minutes," UNLV Head Coach Lindy La Rocque said. "I'm shocked it didn't go more minutes because we kind of expected that going into the game."

Booker was 13-of-14 at the free throw line and hit all eight fourth-quarter attempts.

Ramos scored 17 points to lead 5-seed San Diego State (23-10). Abby Prohaska added 15 points, Yummy Morris had 14 and Kim Villalobos scored 10.

Ethridge rallied the Lady Rebels late in first half by counting three of its last four field goals before halftime, including a turnaround jumper at the buzzer to tie the game 33-33. She then spurred the offense further, making three of UNLV's first five field goals of the second half.

"We couldn't get anything going and Justice was carrying us," Booker said. "That's what she does.  She's a silent assassin, so we depend on her to do that, and she came up and showed up today."

And Las Vegas will get to watch their native daughters play on their home court one more time.

"But it's not just about them. They infuse the pride of Las Vegas throughout the rest of our team, even the ones that aren't from here.  I'm really proud of them.  They carry that responsibility throughout town, and, you know, again, Las Vegas has shown the love back to us.  We want to keep playing for them and for us."