UNLV enters women’s AP Top 25 for 1st time in 29 years

UNLV on Monday made its first appearance in the AP women’s college basketball poll in 29 years, ranking 23rd in the Top 25.

“We appreciate the recognition, but we realize it doesn’t grant us any wins,” said coach Lindy La Rocque, who in her second season as coach has re-energized the Lady Rebels’ program.

UNLV is 24-2 overall and 14-0 in the Mountain West with four games remaining before the conference tournament. It clinched a share of the regular-season championship by beating Boise State 76-63 Saturday and can win the title outright when it welcomes San Jose State to the Thomas &Mack Center at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

UNLV’s most recent appearance in the poll came Jan. 18, 1994, and its ranking this week is the team’s highest since March 9, 1993. UNLV also became the first Mountain West school to enter the AP poll since Colorado State was ranked No. 22 in 2016.

The Lady Rebels used to be a regular fixture on the AP poll. UNLV appeared in 115 polls between 1977 and 1994, including a two-week stint as the No. 2 team in the country in 1990.

The Lady Rebels earned votes in each of the past three weeks before breaking into the poll Monday.

“If anything, the target on our backs gets bigger,” La Rocque said. “So we have to continue to focus on improving every day.”

The AP poll wasn’t the only honor the Lady Rebels learned about Monday. Junior center Desi-Rae Young earned her third Mountain West Player of the Week award of the season after averaging 23 points and eight rebounds during UNLV’s wins against Boise State and Fresno State. It’s the seventh time Young has earned the award in her career.

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