The UNLV Lady Rebels' journey in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament came to a shocking end with an excruciating 86-84 loss to the Florida Gators. The defeat, which occurred on a last-second three-pointer by Florida's guard Kenza Salgues, sent the Lady Rebels packing from the tournament they largely commanded. According to a report from News3LV, UNLV held the lead for more than 33 minutes of the game, illustrating a game they seemed to have in hand before the Gators snatched victory at the final buzzer.
The nail-biting affair showcased back-and-forth action, with the lead changing hands 13 times and the two teams finding themselves tied on five different occasions. As detailed by UNLV Rebels official website, the Lady Rebels demonstrated their inside dominance by pouring 34 points in the paint, yet, despite their efforts, they came up just short. Florida out-rebounded UNLV 37-35, a slim margin that may have played a role in the overall outcome.
Amarachi Kimpson was the standout for UNLV, dropping 24 points and leading her team with an impressive shooting performance. "Kimpson shot 7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-4 from the three and was 8-for-10 at the charity stripe," noted an article from the UNLV Rebels official website. Alongside her, Alyssa Brown contributed a solid double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. On the flip side, Liv McGill topped the scoring for the Gators with 22 points, while Jeriah Warren added 18 pints, contributing to a balanced offensive effort that kept Florida in contention throughout the game.
The intensity of the matchup reached its peak in the game's final seconds, with the Lady Rebels up by one point and the crowd gripped by the suspense of what seemed like an inevitable overtime. But with icy resolve, the Gators' Kenza Salgues delivered a crushing blow to UNLV by nailing the three-pointer that decided the game. "After back-to-back timeouts from both sides, Florida had possession and took a three-point shot with one second left that sank at the buzzer," described the UNLV Rebels. The loss brought a bitter end to a remarkable season for the Lady Rebels, who finished with a 26-8 record, while Florida advanced to face Texas Tech in the WBIT quarterfinals set for Thursday.
