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Lindy La Rocque started her second-year as head coach of the UNLV Lady Rebels 1-0 after a four-point win on the road at Oral Robert.
The Lady Rebels beat the Golden Eagles 85-81 Tuesday, Nov. 9 from the Mabee Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Last season’s UNLV team went 9-0 on the road and are now an impressive 10-0 away from Cox Pavilion under La Rocque.
Montana State will be welcomed into Las Vegas as the opponent for the team’s season opener Saturday, Nov. 13.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. from the Thomas & Mack Center.
As it often does, this basketball game came down to a game of runs. Most times, with UNLV responding to a rally from the home team.
The Lady Rebels faced their biggest deficit of the game in the fourth quarter at six points.
Even down four points late, UNLV went on a 18-10 run to close the gap and start the season with a win.
In the first quarter, the Lady Rebels raced out to a 6-0 start but would have to endure an 11-4 run from the Golden Eagles to close the quarter.
UNLV’s lead was cut to as little as one point in the second quarter before Oral Roberts tied the game at 37 apiece.
The home team would take their first lead at 39-37, the eventual halftime score.
Back-to-back three-pointers from the Lady Rebels shifted the game back in the direction of the road team.
A late three-pointer from the Golden Eagles helped Oral Roberts take a one-point lead into the final 10 minutes.
UNLV won the last quarter 27-22.
Junior guard Essence Booker led the team in scoring with 21 points in her team-debut to go along with three steals.
She scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half including eight points in the fourth quarter.
Reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Desi-Rae Young, recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds along with three blocks.
Senior forward Khayla Rooks flirted with a triple-double posting 14 points, six rebounds and six assists on 6-of-13 shooting from the field including two made three-pointers.
The win comes despite the team shooting 15-of-26 from the free throw line after being fouled 25 times.
Oral Roberts was fouled 13 times and went 12-of-17 from the charity stripe.