LAS VEGAS | Reserve Amarachi Simpson scored 18 points, Kiara Jackson scored 12 points and No. 21-ranked UNLV advanced to the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship game by beating Colorado State 62-52 on Tuesday night.
The top seed to the post-season tourney, the Rebels (29-2) face the winner of the other semifinal between Boise State and San Diego State. UNLV is on a 14-game win streak and the Rebels haven’t loss since New Mexico beat them 69-66 on Jan. 20.
Desi-Rae Young grabbed 13 rebounds and Alyssa Brown collared 10 boards for the Rebels.
Marta Leimane scored 15 points for Colorado State (20-11).
UNLV outscored Colorado State 14-7 in the last three-and-a-half minutes to preserve the win after Sydney Mech’s layup with 3:48 left got the Rams within 48-45.
Following two foul shots by UNLV’s Brown, Kimpson made a layup and converted a three-point play to set the Rebels up for a championship appearance.
The Rebels built an 8-0 lead and extended it to 13-2 on Nneka Obiazor’s 3-pointer with 3:40 left in the first quarter and ended it with a 16-7 advantage.
Despite a nearly 5-minute scoring spell to start the second, Ashley Scoggin made a 3 for a 19-11 UNLV lead before the fifth-seed Rams narrowed their deficit to 26-21 at halftime.
UNLV started the second half with a 9-0 run and seemed ready to break it open, but Colorado State reeled the Rebels back in and McKenna Hofschild’s jump shot with 1:11 left in the third got the Rams within 39-33.