LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State women's basketball team trailed by five points 42-37 after three quarters of the title game of the 2024 Mountain West Women's Basketball Championship, but the UNLV Lady Rebels used an 11-0 run to open the fourth period and pulled away for a 66-49 win.
"I hate to see it come to an end, but I thought our group battled," Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said after the game. "We just ran out of gas. But these kids competed for the four days that they've been here, and it was really fun to watch. I've never seen them so locked in and playing for each other. We played some really good basketball here in Vegas. They don't need to hang their heads. I'm really proud of them. I know it hurts. Our season is ending. We wanted this championship, but they should be proud of themselves because they laid the foundation, and they also laid the expectation, and that's to be here next year."
The Aztecs were led by 13 points from senior Abby Prohaska, who also paced the squad with five rebounds. Kim Villalobos had eight assists, six points, two steals and a block, while Jada Lewis and Adryana Quezada pitched in with nine and eight points, respectively.
San Diego State came out of the gates and shot 40.0 percent in the first quarter compared to UNLV's 29 percent and held a 10-8 lead after 10 minutes.
The Aztecs built a six-point advantage, 20-14 with 6:57 to play before intermission, but failed to score again before the half. However, SDSU (22-13) defense held the No. 21 -ranked team and No. 1 seed in the tournament to just six points down the stretch and the teams went to the locker room tied 20-20.
San Diego State (22-13 which averages 5.5 threes per game and UNLV which makes 7.9 per game combined to go 0-of-10 from the bonus distance in the first half, but they both warmed up going 10-of-17 in the second half.
The Aztecs were up 24-22 lead with 8:12 to play in the third, but then saw the Lady Rebels (30-2) go on a 12-0 run over the next 3:30 and found themselves down 34-24 with 4:42 to play in the period. Jada Lewis stopped the run with the team's first 3-pointer of the game and the Scarlet and Black drew to within five points after three.
UNLV opened the final quarter on an 11-0 run and took its biggest lead of the game, 16 points, 53-37, with 7:38 to play and cruised to the 66-49 win.
STAT OF THE GAME
Kim Villalobos tied a career-high with eight assists and surpassed 1,000 points for her career.
THE NOTE I
Kim Villalobos and Adryana Quezada were named to the All-Tournament Team.
THE NOTE II
This was the first time since 2013 that the Aztecs made the it to the championship game.