LOGAN, Utah – Utah State women’s basketball (7-15, 2-10 Mountain West), lost, 72-60, to UNLV (18-4, 10-1 MW) on Saturday night inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
The Aggies came out strong in the first quarter strong, outscoring UNLV, 15-5, over the last 6:54 to hold a 20-12 lead heading into the second period. Graduate forward Laci Hawthorne and junior guard/forward Adryana Quezada combined for 18 of the Aggies’ 20 first quarter points after registering 11 and seven points, respectively.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from UNLV junior guard Essence Booker gave the Lady Rebels a 29-27 lead with 3:16 to go in the second quarter. Senior guard Kaylin Randhawa responded with a triple and jumper of her own to give the Aggies the 32-29 advantage at the halftime break.
After extending the USU lead to 37-31 in the third quarter, UNLV used a 14-1 run to hold the 45-38 edge with 4:16 to go in the stanza. The Aggies then used an 8-0 run to take their final lead of the game at 46-45, but another Lady Rebel run gave UNLV the 51-46 lead at the end of the third.
UNLV took its largest lead of the game at 70-54 with 2:51 left to play. The Aggies were able to trim the lead to 10, 70-60, but the Lady Rebels held on for the 72-60 win.
Utah State was led by Quezada and Hawthorne with 17 and 13 points, respectively.
USU finished the night shooting 34.5 percent (23-of-58) from the floor, 25.0 percent (4-of-16) from behind the arc and 66.7 percent (10-of-15). UNLV shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the floor, 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from behind the 3-point line and 82.4 percent (14-of-17) at the free throw line.
Utah State next takes on Colorado State (14-7, 5-6 MW) in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. (MT).
Fans can follow USU women’s basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
