LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team trailed by only one at the half, but was unable to slow down UNLV in the final 20 minutes of a 73-54 loss Tuesday afternoon at Cox Pavilion.
 
The 'Eaters started off the game by making their first four field goal attempts before cooling off and finishing the day at 30 percent. They were also 2-of-26 from 3-point range.
 
Sophomore Lauren Saiki registered a team-high 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. She was 4-for-8 from the floor. Sophomore Yazzy Sa'Duallah also had 11 points, five boards and two assists. Freshman Haleigh Talbert chipped in six points, while junior Andee Ritter, and freshmen Jordan Sanders and Tahlia Garza, had five each.
 
UC Irvine (1-1) got off to a hot start, going up 10-0 before UNLV got on the board at the 7:37 mark. Saiki then drilled a 3-pointer to make it 13-2, but that would be the Anteaters' last field goal of the first quarter. The Lady Rebels took advantage, using an 11-0 run to even the score at 13-13. UCI then ended a nearly five-minute scoring drought with a pair of free throws from Sa'Dullah, while Garza followed by making 1-of-2 at the charity stripe. The home team went back on top, however, as they hit a three at the buzzer for the 18-16 lead.
 
UNLV (2-0) increased its cushion to four early in the second period, but the 'Eaters answered with an 8-0 spurt, capped by a Ritter jumper, to pull ahead, 29-25, with 3:31 left in the half. The Lady Rebels came back to tie it up at 29-29 and eventually took a 34-33 lead at intermission.
 
UC Irvine evened the score at 35-35 on Blanks' free throws early in the third quarter. UNLV then responded with a 14-3 run to go on top, 49-38. UCI closed the gap to six following a three-point play from Saiki at the 3:41 mark, but the Lady Rebels used a late push to build its advantage to 58-46 at the end of the period.
 
UNLV carried the momentum into the fourth frame where it maintained its double-digit lead en route to the 73-54 victory.
 
The Lady Rebels shot 50 percent from the field (27-54) and were 7-for-15 from long distance. Brooke Johnson led the way with 17 points, while Katie Powell had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
 
UC Irvine returns home to host Portland (Friday, Nov. 17) and Idaho State (Sunday, Nov. 19) this weekend.
 
NOTES: Most of the 1,579 fans in attendance were elementary students as part of Lady Rebel School Day … UNLV was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West as it returns 10 letterwinners from last year's WNIT team that went 22-11 … Yazzy Sa'Dullah notched her second-straight double-figure scoring game … Dating back to last season, Andee Ritter has made a 3-pointer in 12 consecutive games … Freshmen Alexus Seaton and Dani Guglielmo each made their collegiate debut … Guglielmo had one rebound, while Seaton had one steal.