The UNLV Lady Rebels concluded the 2022-2023 season being nationally ranked in the top 25 with a 31-3 overall record and finished the regular season first in the Mountain West Conference with an 18-0 record.
The Lady Rebels for the second season in a row won the Mountain West Tournament Championship and clinched a bid to the NCAA Women’s National Basketball Tournament.
The Lady Rebels started the regular season hot with a 7-0 record including winning first place in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament. The Lady Rebels defeated the University of Albany Great Danes, the George Washington University Colonials, and the Illinois State Redbirds in the Thanksgiving weekend tournament.
Following the tournament, the Lady Rebels won three of the next five games facing adversity going into conference play. Along with the two losses, Nneka Obiazor’s season came to an end with a knee injury.
With starting forward Obiazor sidelined, Alyssa Brown’s role on the team was expanded. Brown excelled in her role protecting the paint averaging 7.6 rebounds per game and scoring 9.1 points per game. On defense, Brown recorded 25 steals and led the team with 23 blocks.
The Lady Rebels began to receive attention from across the country by playing in two games nationally televised during the Mountain West Conference regular season.
After winning all of its Mountain West Conference games in the regular season, the Lady Rebels were the No.1 seed entering the Mountain West Championship Tournament.
The Lady Rebels beat the UNR Wolf Pack, the San Diego State Aztecs, and the Wyoming Cowgirls to repeat as Mountain West Champions and clinch a bid to the NCAA National Basketball Championship Tournament.
The Lady Rebels entered the National Tournament ranked No. 21 in the nation.
In the NCAA National Basketball Championship Tournament, the Lady Rebels were given the No.11 seed against Michigan the No. 6 seed.
The Lady Rebels’ season came to a close against the Michigan State University Wolverines in the round of 64 losing by the score 71-59.
The Lady Rebels, along with finishing the season winning over 90% of its games, won several individual accolades in the 2022-23 season.
Lindy La Rocque was named Mountain West Coach of the Year for the second time in her three year career as head coach of the Lady Rebels. La Rocque in her tenure as the Lady Rebels head coach she has a record of 72-19.
Being named the Mountain West Coach of the Year was not the only accomplishment La Rocque made in the 2022-2023 season. La Rocque became a mother the week before the regular season began, giving birth to her baby girl Ellie.
Kiara Jackson was named Mountain West Sixth Person of the Year. Jackson finished the season averaging 7.8 points per game knocking down over 30% of her 3-pointers and passed for the second most assists on the team with 79.
Desi-Rae Young was awarded the Mountain West Championship Most Valuable Player following scoring 28 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the championship game victory against the Wyoming Cowgirls.
Essence Booker, Justice Ethridge and Young were all selected to the 2022-2023 All-Mountain West Team. Young and Ethridge were also selected to the All-Defensive team as well.
Young in her third season as a Lady Rebel led the team scoring the most points averaging 17.9 points per game and rebounds picking up 344. On the defensive side of the ball, Young led the team with 52 steals and was the “anchor” of the team according to La Rocque.
Ethridge finished her fourth and last season as a Lady Rebel averaging a career high 9.2 points per game and was a sharp shooter from beyond the arc shooting just under 40% from deep. Ethridge was named to the All-Defensive team for the second year in a row recording 12 blocks and 21 steals in the season.
Booker finished her NCAA basketball career playing the last two as a Lady Rebel. In Booker’s last year as a Lady Rebel she was a floor general scoring 13.2 points per game and led the team with 136 assists.
The Lady Rebels have a new goal for the 2023-2024 season and it is not just to win the Mountain West Conference again, it is to win games in the NCAA National Basketball Championship Tournament.
