No. 24 UNLV vs San Diego State | Mountain West | 2.25.23

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LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The Lady Rebels found records to break all season. And for their final home game, the fans jumped in on the trend.
No. 24 UNLV (27-2 overall, 17-0 Mountain West) wrapped its home season undefeated for the first time since 1979 after repelling San Diego State (21-10, 11-6), 65-59, Saturday afternoon.
This year's Lady Rebels were the first women's basketball team to finish undefeated at Cox Pavilion since it opened in May 2001. UNLV celebrated the careers of those playing their finals games in the venue, seniors Essence Booker, Justice Ethridge and Keyana Wilfred.
"This year our fans have not seen us lose here," UNLV Head Coach Lindy La Rocque said. "That's something to be really proud of."
A program-record 2,993 fans crowded into standing-room-only confines as the game tipped off. UNLV had a 40-minute fight on its hands. The Aztecs had a week to prepare for the Lady Rebels and had clearly done their homework.
San Diego State cashed in nine points off of UNLV's turnovers to jump out 24-14. But even with all-star center Desi-Rae Young sewn to the bench in foul trouble, the Lady Rebels forged ahead.
Alyssa Brown scored 11 points over the next 5 minutes and tied the game 27-27 with an and-1 free throw. Ethridge finished the second period with a buzzer-beating 3 and UNLV lead 32-31 at halftime.
Brown finished the game with 14 points, 12 rebounds and career-high five blocks. It was her fifth double-double of the season.
"It was a great game to prepare us for the tournament. To do what we've done, it takes a real consistent commitment every day to do the right thing, trust each other and play hard-all of which is easier to not do."
As they had all season, UNLV stormed out of the locker rooms with an offensive onslaught that put them up by eight points just 3 minutes into the second half. Three straight turnovers let the Aztecs whittle the deficit to 2, but the Lady Rebels couldn't be contained any longer.
Young scored the next 6 from the field and Booker hit six straight free throws to seal the victory.
Young grabbed her 16th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Ethridge scored 13 points. Booker added 12 points and four assists.
Mercedes Staples, who was out due to injury in the season's earlier meeting with UNLV, scored 17 points to lead the Aztecs.
The Lady Rebels increased their winning streak to 18 consecutive games. They're currently tied for the second-longest winning streak in the country behind No. 1 South Carolina.
UNLV's visits UNR for the regular-season finale at Lawlor Events Center Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 6:30 p.m. The Lady Rebels will look to extend the Wolf Pack's five-game losing streak before returning home for the Mountain West Championships as the No. 1 seed.