LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels used a dominant first-half performance to cruise past the Air Force Falcons 78-47 in a Mountain West Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

A crowd of 537 watched as UNLV improved to 13-6 overall, while Air Force fell to 8-11. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for the Rebels, who also defeated the Falcons 64-58 on Jan. 3 in Colorado Springs.

The most important part of the game was the opening 20 minutes, where UNLV established an overwhelming advantage that Air Force never threatened. The Rebels raced out to an 18-9 lead after the first quarter and then exploded in the second, outscoring the Falcons 23-12 to take a commanding 41-21 lead into halftime. That 20-point cushion was built on stifling defense and efficient offense, as UNLV held Air Force to just 21 first-half points on 8-of-30 shooting from the field.

UNLV’s offensive execution was spearheaded by guard Shelbee Brown, who scored a game-high 20 points in just 26 minutes. The Memphis, Tennessee, native was efficient from the floor and consistently attacked the basket. She was complemented by backcourt partner Jasmyn Lott of Frisco, Texas, who added 15 points, three assists and a block. In the frontcourt, Meadow Roland of Fresno, California, provided a strong interior presence with 12 points and two blocks, altering numerous other Air Force attempts.

The Falcons struggled offensively throughout the contest. They finished the game shooting just 28.4 percent from the field and a frigid 12.5 percent from three-point range. Their offensive rating of 60.4 on 78 possessions underscored the difficulty of generating quality shots against the UNLV defense. Air Force was led by Emily Adams of Lebanon, Ohio, who scored 12 points, and Jayda McNabb of Rapid City, South Dakota, who contributed eight points and four assists.

While the Rebels were not prolific from beyond the arc, making 5 of 18 attempts, they dominated the interior, outscoring Air Force 48-28 in the paint. UNLV also converted Air Force’s 16 turnovers into 15 points, while the Falcons managed only 10 points off an equal number of UNLV turnovers. The Rebels shot 52.6 percent from the field overall and 72.2 percent from the free-throw line.

After the decisive first half, UNLV maintained its focus in the third quarter, matching Air Force’s 18 points with 20 of its own to extend the lead to 61-39. The Rebels then closed out the victory with a 17-8 advantage in the final period, with reserves seeing extensive playing time down the stretch.

The win keeps UNLV in the upper tier of the Mountain West standings as it prepares for a road test at Nevada on Saturday. Air Force, which has now lost three of its last four games, returns home to face New Mexico on Saturday, looking to snap a two-game skid.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, UNLV entered the game with a 96.50 percent probability to win, a projection borne out by the lopsided final score and the Rebels’ control from the opening tip.