UNLV used a record-tying 3-point barrage and a sharp night on the glass to beat New Mexico 89-71 on Saturday, Dec. 20 at The Pavilion. Destiny Leo scored 20 points and six 3-pointers, and Shelbee Brown added 16 points plus 14 rebounds as UNLV played its first home game in December and its first game at The Pavilion since Nov. 14.
“It’s less about the three-point makes for me and more about the execution,” Mia Bell, an assistant coach, told UNLV Radio’s Wyatt Tomchek after the win. “They were helping off. They were really conservative with the paint, didn’t want us to get going there. So you’ve got to make them pay when they’re doing those sort of things.”
Colvin ties the mark
UNLV never let the fourth quarter turn into a sweat, even after New Mexico outscored the Lady Rebels 18-15 in the final 10 minutes. Brown kept cleaning up misses for second-chance points, and Aaliyah Alexander answered with tough finishes in the paint to keep the lead comfortable.
Meanwhile, Teagan Colvin knocked down a 3 late in the quarter to give UNLV its 16th triple and tie the program’s single-game record. From there, UNLV leaned on its rebounding edge and ran clock, then emptied the bench in the final minutes to close it out.
Leo lights the fuse
UNLV shook off a 6-0 hole and overwhelmed New Mexico in the first quarter to take a 31-13 lead. Leo drilled three straight 3-pointers, and the Lady Rebels closed the period on a 20-3 surge over the final 5:15.
From there, UNLV turned stops into separation. The Lady Rebels ripped off a 22-2 run that included a 17-0 blitz, and they cashed in on extra chances to keep the Lobos pinned. Brown controlled the glass with seven rebounds and added two assists as UNLV produced nine second-chance points and eight points off turnovers.
To end it, freshman Trystan James delivered the exclamation point, burying the first 3-pointer of her UNLV career just before the buzzer. UNLV went 5-of-8 from deep and stayed perfect at the line at 8-of-8, and the Lady Rebels’ 31 points marked their highest-scoring quarter of the season.
Deep in the bag
UNLV kept pouring it on in the second quarter, and the 3s kept coming. Meadow Roland opened the period with a triple, and James followed with another a couple minutes later.
Meanwhile, UNLV turned a New Mexico mistake into points as Leo buried a 3 off a violation. Then Alexander answered with a 3 of her own to keep the cushion comfortable.
Later, Roland mixed in a paint finish and two more 3s, including one in the final minute. As a result, UNLV hit seven 3s in the quarter and stretched the lead to 24 before halftime.
Cruise control, then a brief stall
UNLV stayed in control in the third quarter and carried a 74-53 lead into the fourth. Jasmyn Lott finally broke through with a 3 early in the period. Soon after, Leo answered with another triple to keep the cushion steady.
Meanwhile, UNLV kept scoring inside, too. Brown finished at the rim again and again, and UNLV pushed the lead to 69-43 with 3:41 left.
Still, UNLV hit a lull late and went without a field goal over the final 2:23. Even so, Roland closed the quarter at the line, hitting three free throws at 0:01 to keep UNLV up 21.
Numbers tell the story
Roland finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Leo scored 20 points and hit 6-of-8 from 3. Brown added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Alexander chipped in 13 points and five assists. For New Mexico, Cacia Antonio led with 22 points, while Nayli Padilla scored 10 and Emma Najjuma grabbed seven rebounds.
Up next for the Scarlet and Grey
UNLV returns home for two of its next three Mountain West games at The Pavilion. The Lady Rebels will take an 11-day break before hosting Fresno State on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. PT. Next, UNLV goes back on the road to play at Air Force on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 12 p.m. PT at the USAF Academy in Colorado. After that, UNLV heads back to Las Vegas to face Utah State on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. PT at The Pavilion.
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