Nevada 71, UNLV 64
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Las Vegas, Nev. - Cox Pavilion

LAS VEGAS - Nevada opened the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run, and Nia Alexander scored nine of her career-high 26 points in the frame, as the Wolf Pack defeated UNLV, 71-64, Wednesday at Cox Pavilion.

The Pack (19-10, 11-6 MW) will now enter March 6-9's Mountain West Tournament as the No. 4 seed. Nevada opens the draw Monday, March 7, against No. 5 Air Force at 2:30 p.m. from Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Wednesday, the Pack and Lady Rebels were locked eye-to-eye until UNLV blinked at the start of the final quarter. UNLV had held the largest lead of the game to that point, at six, at 8-2 two minutes into the game, but Nevada punched back, inching closer and entering the fourth down up one at 48-47.

That's where the Pack got the hot hand. Alexander opened the frame with a second-chance jumper, with Kylie Jimenez and Lexie Givens following up with a pair of free throws apiece to get the Pack's lead to seven at 54-47.

Alexander broke the game open halfway through the period, scoring six-straight points, the final two coming from the line, to up the Nevada lead to 62-51 with under four minutes to play.

Nevada shot 50.0 percent in the second half, going 14-for-28 from the field, while its defense settled in and locked down after the break. UNLV, after shooting 51.9 percent in the opening half, went just 11-for-30 over the final 20 minutes, with a 6-for-19 showing in the third quarter helping the Pack take the lead for good.

Kylie Jimenez scored in double figures for the second-straight game, finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds, and five steals. Amaya West scored 10 points, while Alexander and Lexie Givens joined Jimenez with eight rebounds each. Nevada dominated the boards, 40-30, Wednesday night, behind that rebounding trio.