Las Vegas Sun

April 28, 2024

Young, Jackson help UNLV women extend MWC win streak to 28

Desi-Rae Young

Steve Marcus

Desi-Rae Young

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Desi-Rae Young had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Kiara Jackson scored 16 points to help No. 25 UNLV beat Air Force 76-64 on Saturday for the Runnin' Rebels 28th straight win against Mountain West Conference opponents.

Young, who made 9 of 13 from the field and 8 of 13 from the free-throw line, had her fifth double-double of the season.

UNLV (14-1, 4-0) has won five games in a row since an 84-54 loss at Seton Hall on Dec. 16. The Rebels are 50-5 all-time and have won 22 in a row versus Air Force.

Young made a layup with 8:56 left in the second quarter that gave UNLV the lead for good and sparked a 10-2 run that made it 24-17 when Alyssa Durazo-Frescas hit a 3 about two minutes later. The Rebels scored 11 straight, the final seven by Desi-Rae Young to make it a 15-point game and went into halftime leading 38-26.

Milahnie Perry scored five points and Dasha Macmillan the other four in a 9-3 spurt that trimmed the Falcons' deficit to six midway through the third quarter. Durazo-Frescas hit a 3 and Nneka Obiazor followed 30 seconds later with a three-point play that made it 51-39 with 4:06 left in the period and UNLV led by double figures the rest of the way.

Macmillan scored 19 points and tied her career high with seven rebounds for Air Force (9-9, 2-3). Keelie O’Hollaren added 15 points and Perry finished with 10 points, six assists and two blocks.

UNLV outrebounded the Falcons 42-30, had a 15-7 advantage on the offensive glass and outscored Air Force 16-6 in second-chance points.

Durazo-Frescas hit three 3-pointers and added 12 points for the Rebels.

UNLV wraps up its two-game road trip at San Diego State on Wednesday.