LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV women's basketball team have taken possession of first place in the Mountain West standings after a 58-51 win over Wyoming at the Cox Pavilion on Wednesday night.
 
The Lady Rebels (18-2, 8-1 MW) were led by Desi-Rae Young with 15 points. Young brought down six rebounds and had one assist. Amarachi Kimpson continues to be a spark off the bench and scored 12 points tonight by shooting 5-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 from the three-point line and was 1-for-1 at the free throw line. Kimpson also added two steals and a defensive rebound to the stat sheet. Kiara Jackson was dominant under the hoop and led UNLV in rebounds with nine, which is the second consecutive game she has brought down nine rebounds. Ashley Scoggin was the second-leading rebounder on the squad with a career-high eight boards.

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS!!!!! 

FIRST PLACE IS OURS! #BeAREbel | @MountainWest | @MarchMadnessWBB pic.twitter.com/FtcGMwNXro
— UNLV Lady Rebels (@UNLVLadyRebels) February 1, 2024
 

The Cowgirls (12-8, 7-2 MW) had three players in double-figures and were led by Emily Mellema and Malene Pederson who each had 12 points apiece. McKinley Dickerson was also in double-digits with 10 points.
 
BACK-AND-FORTH: The Lady Rebels and Cowgirls went back-and-forth for almost the entire 40 minutes of play. After the first 10 minutes, UNLV and Wyoming had tied each other four times and ended the quarter tied at 15-all. In the second quarter, the Lady Rebels and Cowgirls knotted the score two more times, before UNLV headed into the break with a one-point lead, 27-26. In the second half, the Lady Rebels started to break open and extend the lead to as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter, 48-36, but the Cowgirls did not let up and were back within three, 50-47, but the Lady Rebels continued to open the scoring back up and came away with the seven-point victory.
 
OTHER NOTES:

• UNLV out-rebounded Wyoming 37-30.
• Wyoming shot 44.0% (22 of 50) from the field, while UNLV shot 39.3% (24 of 61).
• The Lady Rebels forced 11 Cowgirls' turnovers and scored 11 points off them.
• UNLV and Wyoming's bench each scored 16 points.
• There were three lead changes and six times the Lady Rebels and Cowgirls were tied.
•  UNLV is now 30-28 all-time versus Wyoming and the Lady Rebels have won four of the last five meetings.

HIGHLIGHTS
 

UP NEXT: The Lady Rebels will hit the road for the revenge game against New Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 3. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. PT.