Brackens & Lady Rebels Come Up Big Against ECU Pirates

The UNLV Lady Rebels (6-4) came out swinging against the East Carolina Pirates (3-4) in a 64-49 victory to close out the UNLV Thanksgiving tournament.

Smothering Defense

In the first quarter, the UNLV came out aggressive on the defensive end against the East Carolina Pirates. The Lady Rebels managed to score 26 points off of turnovers and forced the Pirates to seven turnovers at one point in just the first half. In totality, the Pirates ended the game with 22 turnovers. The Lady Rebels also made it a focus to challenge the Pirates in the paint.

Another Big Game for Brackens

McKinna Brackens came up big again in another game this time scoring 17 points, 2 blocks, 1 steal, and 3 rebounds. She also went 7-for-10 from the field and 2-3 from the free-throw line. After the game, Brackens said her success in the last four games came from, “Taking what the defenses give me and not trying to force any shots. Just taking whatever’s open.”

Staying Consistent

The Lady Rebels made sure to stay hot from the floor, going 8-for-12 at the start of the game, giving them a double-digit lead in the first 10 minutes of play. The Lady Rebels shot 48% for the game while East Carolina only shot 39% from the field. Amarachi Kimpson also scored 13 points in the win, shooting 5-for-11 from the field and 1-2 from the free-throw line.

What’s Next for the Lady Rebels?

The Lady Rebels get a bit of a break before heading to Texas to take on the Baylor Bears. This will be the Lady Rebels’ first road test of the season against a top 25 team. They lost earlier this season to No. 9 Oklahoma at home. When asked about the matchup between the Lady Rebels and Baylor, assistant coach Karlie Burris said, “It should be a tournament game, that’s why we’re playing these games, to prep for them to be in a hostile environment like that, we’re excited for the opportunity.”

The Lady Rebels face the Baylor Bears on Sunday, December 8^th at 2 p.m. CST in Waco, Texas.