UNLV Basketball

Lady Rebels forward out for season with knee injury

By Andy Yamashita / Las Vegas Review-Journal

December 31, 2022 - 8:54 pm

UNLV Lady Rebels forward Nneka Obiazor (1) drives to the basket against Air Force Falcons forwa ...

UNLV Lady Rebels forward Nneka Obiazor (1) drives to the basket against Air Force Falcons forward Haley Jones (0) during the second half of a semifinal Mountain West tournament basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Junior forward and reigning Mountain West sixth player of the year Nneka Obiazor will undergo season-ending surgery on her knee, UNLV women’s basketball coach Lindy La Rocque announced Saturday.

Obiazor made eight appearances this season, all starts, and was averaging 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She hasn’t played since a loss to Pacific on Dec. 3, and La Rocque had described her status as day-to-day.

Obiazor transferred to UNLV after spending her freshman year at Youngstown State. She averaged 11.2 points and 5.7 rebounds last season while becoming a crucial part of the team that won the Mountain West and made the NCAA Tournament.

Obiazor scored a career-high 27 points in a victory over Oral Roberts on Nov. 11.

La Rocque made the announcement after UNLV (12-2, 2-0) defeated Colorado State 91-88 in overtime Saturday at Cox Pavilion.

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.

UNLV guard Keshon Gilbert (10) drives to the basket against the Air Force Falcons during the se ...

UNLV starting guard will enter transfer portal

By Sam Gordon / RJ

March 20, 2023 - 6:21 pm

UNLV lost its second player in two days, as sophomore guard Keshon Gilbert is entering the transfer portal. He started 29 games and averaged 11.4 points this season.

UNLV guard Keyshawn Hall, right, drives the ball around Air Force Falcons forward Beau Becker ( ...

UNLV freshman guard to enter transfer portal

By Sam Gordon / RJ

March 19, 2023 - 7:50 pm

UNLV freshman guard Keyshawn Hall is leaving the program. The Cleveland native averaged 5.4 points and 10.8 minutes in 18 games this season.

UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque reacts in the first half of a first-round college basketball ga ...

‘This team has my heart’: Lady Rebels reflect on historic season

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 18, 2023 - 5:47 pm

The Lady Rebels completed one of the greatest seasons in UNLV women’s basketball history, despite a loss to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

UNLV guard Justice Ethridge (11) shoots against Michigan guard Laila Phelia, right, in the firs ...

‘They are the culture’: UNLV says goodbye to foundational seniors

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 17, 2023 - 6:28 pm

Friday’s NCAA Tournament loss concludes the careers of Justice Ethridge, Essence Booker and Keyana Wilfred, who helped lead UNLV back to national prominance.

La Rocque ‘couldn’t be more proud’ despite Lady Rebels’ NCAA Tournament loss

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 17, 2023 - 5:41 pm

Essence Booker scored 16 points in her final game for UNLV, but Michigan’s size proved too much as the Lady Rebels lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lady Rebels look to beat Michigan, end NCAA Tournament win drought

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 16, 2023 - 6:47 pm

Opponents have focused on junior center Desi-Rae Young all season, but the Lady Rebels are confident she can lead them to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1991.

Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico, right, speaks with guard Jordan Hobbs (10) in the first h ...

Michigan coach heaps praise on Lady Rebels

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 16, 2023 - 3:52 pm

Michigan women’s coach Kim Barnes Arico said UNLV’s depth and balance make them one of the country’s best teams. She also said the Lady Rebels’ Desi-Rae Young “can do everything.”

The 1988-89 UNLV women's basketball team, the only Lady Rebels squad to reach the Sweet 16 of t ...

Lady Rebels’ 1989 Sweet 16 run remains program standard

By Andy Yamashita / RJ

March 15, 2023 - 7:59 pm

A look back at the 1988-89 Lady Rebels, who made the only trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the history of the UNLV women’s program.

Michigan guard Leigha Brown dribbles the ball during an NCAA college basketball game against Ma ...

Oddsmakers show respect to Lady Rebels entering NCAA Tournament

By David Schoen / RJ

March 15, 2023 - 5:39 pm

No. 11 seed UNLV enters its first-round NCAA Tournament matchup against No. 6 Michigan as a small underdog at Las Vegas sportsbooks.

UNLV Lady Rebels center Desi-Rae Young, tournament MVP, punches her team’s ticket after ...

For Lady Rebels, ‘it’s about walking the walk’ in NCAA Tournament

By Ed Graney / RJ

March 15, 2023 - 5:26 pm

UNLV is intent on erasing last year’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss when the 11th-seeded Lady Rebels play sixth-seeded Michigan on Friday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.