LOGAN, Utah (Interstat) — Shelbee Brown posted a dominant double-double with 21 points and 21 rebounds, and UNLV used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from Utah State for a 71-60 victory in a Mountain West women’s basketball game Saturday at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

The Runnin’ Rebels, who led by just a single point at halftime, outscored the Aggies 22-14 in the pivotal third period to seize control. The win improved UNLV to 16-7 overall, while Utah State fell to 6-17.

Brown, a 6-foot sophomore from Memphis, Tennessee, was the game’s most impactful player, controlling the paint on both ends. Her 21 rebounds were a career high and included 12 on the offensive glass, fueling numerous second-chance opportunities for the Rebels. She shot 8 of 15 from the field and added five free throws, while also contributing three steals and a block in 30 minutes of action.

The game’s most important sequence came early in the third quarter with UNLV clinging to a 30-29 lead. After a series of turnovers by both teams, the Rebels strung together a 9-0 run. It began with a Shelbee Brown layup, followed by a 3-pointer from Jasmyn Lott and capped by another Brown layup off a steal, pushing the lead to 39-29 with 6:17 left in the quarter. Utah State never got the deficit back to single digits after that burst.

Utah State was led by Jamisyn Heaton, who scored 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Elise Livingston added 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers, and Aaliyah Gayles contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists. The Aggies shot well from beyond the arc, making 10 of 25 attempts, but were outscored 36-18 in the paint and gave up 20 offensive rebounds.

UNLV’s Meadow Roland, a 6-2 freshman from Fresno, California, provided crucial support with 12 points, eight rebounds and a block. Guards Mariah Elohim and Jasmyn Lott each scored 13 points, with Elohim hitting three 3-pointers. Aaliyah Alexander managed 10 points and four assists despite a tough shooting night.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring 10 lead changes. UNLV led 15-14 after a low-scoring first quarter, but Utah State’s 21-point second quarter, fueled by Heaton’s 11 points in the period, gave the Aggies a 35-30 lead late in the half. The Rebels closed the half on a 5-0 run, including a Lott jumper at the buzzer, to trim the Utah State lead to 35-30 at the break.

The Rebels’ defensive intensity increased in the second half, holding Utah State to 25 points over the final 20 minutes. UNLV forced 13 turnovers for the game, converting them into 12 points, and limited the Aggies to just 20-of-49 shooting from the field overall.

UNLV struggled with its outside shot, making only 5 of 19 from 3-point range, but compensated by attacking the basket and earning 27 free throw attempts, making 20. The Rebels also won the possession battle, using their offensive rebounding to attempt nine more field goals than the Aggies.

The announced attendance was 714.

UNLV has now won two straight games following a loss at New Mexico last week. The Rebels will host Wyoming on Wednesday. Utah State, mired in a five-game losing streak, will next play at home against Fresno State on Feb. 15.