Lady Rebels begin season with league title expectations

UNLV’s women’s hoops squad whitethorn person taken the Mountain West by astonishment past season.

Not anymore, though. Not this season.

The Lady Rebels person been picked to decorativeness 3rd successful the league by a sheet comprised of the league’s media, garnering preseason respect aft finishing 2nd successful 2020-21 nether manager Lindy La Rocque — who begins her 2nd play connected the sideline Nov. 9 against Oral Roberts.

UNLV was picked to decorativeness ninth past year, but finished 13-5 successful league play portion adjusting to La Rocque and her title expectations.

“Having present immoderate clip to bespeak connected it, it was specified an astonishing acquisition with a large radical of young women conscionable to beryllium capable to travel unneurotic to play immoderate hoops, enactment steadfast and enactment positive,” she said Wednesday during the Mountain West’s virtual media days. “We’re truly excited astir the instauration that (it) helped laic for this year. We’re thrilled with however we did this year, but it’s a caller year.”

The roster this play includes 5 freshmen, 3 transfers and 3 returning starters successful sophomore defender Jade Thomas, elder defender Nia Johnson and sophomore station Desi-Rae Young, who doubles arsenic the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Year and a preseason All-Mountain West pick.

La Rocque said she expects the Lady Rebels to contend for the Mountain West title.

“Not conscionable third. Our goals are to beryllium astatine the apical of the conference,” she said. “The preseason stuff, it’s large … but it truly doesn’t mean much. It’s not a predictor of the future. It’s a large honor, but we’ve got a batch of enactment to do.”

That enactment includes integrating a radical of newcomers that includes erstwhile Spring Valley prima and UNR standout Essence Booker, reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year Nneka Obiazor and Washington transportation Khayla Rooks.

Former Centennial standout Justice Ethridge is besides rejoining the squad aft sitting retired past play amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In a batch of ways we’re younger and much of a caller squad this twelvemonth than we were past year,” she said. “It presents antithetic challenges. But our vigor is great. Our effort is large and we are committed to our process.

“With truthful galore caller faces, caller players, a batch of truly talented young players that are excited and anxious to play, we’re conscionable committed to doing our regular work. We cognize the results, the outcomes and those things volition instrumentality attraction of themselves astatine the end.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.