Lady Rebels Set to Kick Off the New Year with an Exciting Match in Northern California

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Lady Rebels will embark on a trip to resume Mountain West competition by taking on San Jose State in a New Year’s Day matchup on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.
 
ABOUT SAN JOSE STATE: The Lady Rebels hold a 39-9 advantage historically in their series against the Spartans. UNLV remains undefeated (5-0) under the direction of Lindy La Rocque when facing San Jose State. The Lady Rebels have triumphed in five out of the last six encounters in the matchup. Last season, UNLV and San Jose State faced each other only once, with the Scarlet & Gray securing a 91-55 victory at Cox Pavilion. Heading into Wednesday’s game, the Spartans carry a 7-7 overall record and are 0-1 in MW play. San Jose State began league activities against UNR, suffering a 63-59 defeat. Currently, the Spartans are led by Finau Tonga, who averages 10.3 points per game, alongside Sofia Kelemeni, who contributes 9.9 points per game. Djessira Diawara leads the team in rebounding, with an average of 7.1 rebounds per game, while Tonga follows closely with 5.3 rebounds per game.
 
LAST FIVE MATCHUPS

• Jan. 10, 2024 – UNLV claimed a 91-55 victory in Las Vegas
• Feb. 16, 2023 – UNLV secured a 77-60 win in Las Vegas
• Jan. 11, 2023 – UNLV triumphed 84-58 in San Jose
• Feb. 19, 2022 – UNLV emerged victorious 104-63 in Las Vegas
• Jan. 19, 2022 – UNLV won 74-54 in San Jose

 
BROADCAST INFO: The game will be available for streaming on theMW.com/watch. Fans can also tune into UNLV’s live audio with play-by-play commentator Wyatt Tomchek for free via Stretch Internet.
 
SQUAD LEADERS: Amarachi Kimpson leads the Scarlet & Gray in scoring, averaging 13.5 points per game, and she is also tied for the team lead in made field goals at 4.8 per game. Kiara Jackson is the next highest scorer with an average of 12.0 points per game and leads the Lady Rebels in assists with 5.0 per game. Meadow Roland is the top rebounder on the team, gathering 6.8 rebounds per game.
 
NON-CONFERENCE WRAP: The Lady Rebels faced the 23rd most challenging non-conference schedule in the nation, concluding with a strong 8-4 record. UNLV achieved two double-digit victories over Power Conference opponents, triumphing by 19 points against both UCF (Big 12) and DePaul (Big East). The Scarlet & Gray competed against teams from nine different conferences throughout their non-conference games.
 
LAST TIME ON THE COURT: The UNLV women’s basketball squad kicked off Mountain West play with a 78-53 triumph over Fresno State on Sunday afternoon at Cox Pavilion. Continuing the winning streak, they remain undefeated in conference openers under head coach Lindy La Rocque. McKinna Brackens led the Lady Rebels with 15 points, shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. Brackens also contributed five assists, snagged eight rebounds, and recorded two blocks. Alyssa Brown, Amarachi Kimpson, and Meadow Roland each contributed 12 points. Brown also provided a team-high six assists, equaling her career-best. She topped the squad in blocks with three and matched Brackens for the team lead in rebounds at eight. Kiara Jackson scored 10 points and marked her 1,000th career point as a Lady Rebel. UNLV showcased its most impressive shooting performance of the season, hitting 52.6% (30 of 57) from the floor for the game.
 
THREE-PEAT LAST SEASON: The Lady Rebels maintained their momentum from last season, culminating in a third consecutive Mountain West Regular Season and Tournament Title. UNLV became the first program in MW history to achieve both titles for three seasons in a row. The Scarlet & Gray received their third auto-bid to the NCAA tournament, marking a first in the program and league’s history. The Lady Rebels were among only two teams to achieve two (South Carolina) consecutive seasons with 30 wins. They reached their highest positions in both the AP and Coaches Poll, ranking at No. 20 and No. 19, respectively. The Lady Rebels entered the Top 25 eight times last season and began the season receiving votes for the first time in 19 years. UNLV honored the MW’s Player of the Year in Desi-Rae Young (All-MW Team and All-Defensive Team), as well as Sixth and Freshman of the Year honors to Amarachi Kimpson (All-MW Team honorable mention and All-Freshman MW Team). Kiara Jackson earned All-MW team recognition, and Alyssa Brown was honored as the MW Tournament MVP.
 
WHAT UP SQUAD: The Lady Rebels are bringing back 10 out of the 14 players from their 2024 championship roster, including two starters and the Mountain West’s Sixth Player and Freshman of the Year Amarachi Kimpson. UNLV has introduced two freshman guards, Teagan Colvin and Elli Guiney, as well as a junior transfer Aaliyah Alexander from Eastern Washington.
 
UP NEXT: The Lady Rebels will face their third MW game of the week on Saturday, Jan. 4 at Boise State. The game is set to tip-off at 5 p.m. PT/6 p.m. MT.