Monday, March 10
Las Vegas, Nev.
1 p.m. MT
Boise State
18-15,7-11Mountain West
70
vs
80
UNLV
25-6,16-2Mountain West
1
2
3
4
F
Boise St.
25
9
21
15
70
UNLV
18
16
16
30
80
Photo by: Kenna Harbison
Broncos Fall Short Against Top-Seeded Lady Rebels
3/10/2025 5:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS – Boise State women's basketball dropped a hard-fought battle to UNLV, falling 80-70 to the tournament's top seed in the quarterfinal round of the 2025 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Women's Basketball Championship, Monday in the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Broncos (18-15), who led for nearly 30 minutes in the contest, led by five entering the final quarter of play. The Lady Rebels (25-6) opened the quarter with a 12-4 run and outscored the Blue and Orange 30-15 in the final 10 minutes of action to secure the victory.
Tatum Thompson matched her career-high with 25 points in the loss, finishing 11-of-15 from the floor and making two of her three 3-point attempts. The junior also corralled eight boards and blocked three shots for the second consecutive contest. Abby Muse recorded a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds on an 7-of-9 shooting performance. Dani Bayes drilled a trio of 3-pointers to also add on 17 points while matching her career-high with six assists.
Boise State came ready to play, making 10 of its first 12 field goal attempts in the opening stanza. Bayes and Thompson scored seven points early, while Muse chipped in six as the Broncos led 23-16 at the first media timeout. Elodie Lalotte stretched the lead to nine with a layup to give Boise State a 25-16 lead after one.
UNLV halted the early Bronco stampede, scoring nine straight points to cut the lead to two. The Blue and Orange stretched the lead to five, but the Lady Rebels answered with five-straight of their own to tie the game at 34 heading into the break.
Boise State scored the first six points of the second half to grab a 40-34 lead. UNLV broke its drought with a pair of free throws, but Bayes answered with her third triple of the night to make it 43-34. The Lady Rebels kept chipping away, cutting the Bronco advantage to 47-43 at the media timeout. Bayes and Thompson combined for 17 points in the period as the Broncos took a 55-50 lead into the final frame.
UNLV opened the quarter on a 12-4 run to make it 62-59 with 6:13 remaining in the game. Thompson kept causing havoc, scoring four-straight points to give Boise State a brief one-point lead. The Lady Rebels responded with back-to-back baskets to take a three-point advantage, but Muse added a free throw and layup on consecutive possessions to tie the game at 66 with 4:01 remaining.
UNLV converted on back-to-back possessions to take a three-point advantage. The Lady Rebel lead expanded to 72-68 with two minutes remaining, and UNLV converted back-to-back layups down the stretch to take an eight-point advantage with 33.8 seconds left and secure the victory.Â
Top Broncos
- Tatum Thompson shot 11-of-15 from the floor to finish with a career-high 25 points. The junior hit two of her three 3-point attempts, pulled down eight rebounds and matched her career-high with three blocks.
- Abby Muse recorded her only double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The fifth-year made seven of her nine field goal attempts and dished out five assists.
- Dani Bayes also added 17 points and matched her career-high with six assists.
Notables
- Mary Kay Naro became the second player in program history to reach 600 career assists. The point guard, who has dished out 608 assists in her career, finished the game eight assists short of the all-time record set by Yaiza Rodriguez (2013-17).
- Abby Muse has pulled down 79 rebounds in conference tournaments in her career, the most in program history. The Brentwood, Calif., native passed Shalen Shaw (2015-18), who corralled 75 rebounds.Â
- Muse also recorded her 25th career double-double.
- Dani Bayes hit three 3-pointers for the 10th time on the season and the 19th time in her career.
- Tatum Thompson's 11 made field goals was the first time a Bronco has hit 10+ in a game since the junior did so herself on Jan. 15 in a 93-64 win over San Jose State.
- The Broncos had three players score 15+ points (Thompson - 25, Bayes- 17,Muse - 17) for the first time since an 89-80 victory over New Mexico on Jan. 28 when four achieved this feat.
- Boise State led the contest for 30 minutes.
Quotables
"We thought going into the game that we could win the game. We were up one at our place with 1:15 to go. We were up one with three minutes to go in the half when we got blown out at their place. We've played with them all season. It's just been a battle. I was proud of our kids. I thought our gameplan going in was great and I thought they executed it great." - Gordy Presnell
"This team recorded a 3.72 team GPA. If anyone here defines student-athletes, it's our ball club. I'm really appreciative of this group. I really appreciate the eight seniors and our staff. I wanted to make sure they see gratitude from me and then also that they have some gratitude as well." - Presnell
The Broncos (18-15), who led for nearly 30 minutes in the contest, led by five entering the final quarter of play. The Lady Rebels (25-6) opened the quarter with a 12-4 run and outscored the Blue and Orange 30-15 in the final 10 minutes of action to secure the victory.
Tatum Thompson matched her career-high with 25 points in the loss, finishing 11-of-15 from the floor and making two of her three 3-point attempts. The junior also corralled eight boards and blocked three shots for the second consecutive contest. Abby Muse recorded a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds on an 7-of-9 shooting performance. Dani Bayes drilled a trio of 3-pointers to also add on 17 points while matching her career-high with six assists.
Boise State came ready to play, making 10 of its first 12 field goal attempts in the opening stanza. Bayes and Thompson scored seven points early, while Muse chipped in six as the Broncos led 23-16 at the first media timeout. Elodie Lalotte stretched the lead to nine with a layup to give Boise State a 25-16 lead after one.
UNLV halted the early Bronco stampede, scoring nine straight points to cut the lead to two. The Blue and Orange stretched the lead to five, but the Lady Rebels answered with five-straight of their own to tie the game at 34 heading into the break.
Boise State scored the first six points of the second half to grab a 40-34 lead. UNLV broke its drought with a pair of free throws, but Bayes answered with her third triple of the night to make it 43-34. The Lady Rebels kept chipping away, cutting the Bronco advantage to 47-43 at the media timeout. Bayes and Thompson combined for 17 points in the period as the Broncos took a 55-50 lead into the final frame.
UNLV opened the quarter on a 12-4 run to make it 62-59 with 6:13 remaining in the game. Thompson kept causing havoc, scoring four-straight points to give Boise State a brief one-point lead. The Lady Rebels responded with back-to-back baskets to take a three-point advantage, but Muse added a free throw and layup on consecutive possessions to tie the game at 66 with 4:01 remaining.
UNLV converted on back-to-back possessions to take a three-point advantage. The Lady Rebel lead expanded to 72-68 with two minutes remaining, and UNLV converted back-to-back layups down the stretch to take an eight-point advantage with 33.8 seconds left and secure the victory.Â
Top Broncos
- Tatum Thompson shot 11-of-15 from the floor to finish with a career-high 25 points. The junior hit two of her three 3-point attempts, pulled down eight rebounds and matched her career-high with three blocks.
- Abby Muse recorded her only double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The fifth-year made seven of her nine field goal attempts and dished out five assists.
- Dani Bayes also added 17 points and matched her career-high with six assists.
Notables
- Mary Kay Naro became the second player in program history to reach 600 career assists. The point guard, who has dished out 608 assists in her career, finished the game eight assists short of the all-time record set by Yaiza Rodriguez (2013-17).
- Abby Muse has pulled down 79 rebounds in conference tournaments in her career, the most in program history. The Brentwood, Calif., native passed Shalen Shaw (2015-18), who corralled 75 rebounds.Â
- Muse also recorded her 25th career double-double.
- Dani Bayes hit three 3-pointers for the 10th time on the season and the 19th time in her career.
- Tatum Thompson's 11 made field goals was the first time a Bronco has hit 10+ in a game since the junior did so herself on Jan. 15 in a 93-64 win over San Jose State.
- The Broncos had three players score 15+ points (Thompson - 25, Bayes- 17,Muse - 17) for the first time since an 89-80 victory over New Mexico on Jan. 28 when four achieved this feat.
- Boise State led the contest for 30 minutes.
Quotables
"We thought going into the game that we could win the game. We were up one at our place with 1:15 to go. We were up one with three minutes to go in the half when we got blown out at their place. We've played with them all season. It's just been a battle. I was proud of our kids. I thought our gameplan going in was great and I thought they executed it great." - Gordy Presnell
"This team recorded a 3.72 team GPA. If anyone here defines student-athletes, it's our ball club. I'm really appreciative of this group. I really appreciate the eight seniors and our staff. I wanted to make sure they see gratitude from me and then also that they have some gratitude as well." - Presnell
Team Stats
Boise
UNLV
FG%
.491
.394
3FG%
.300
.368
FT%
.615
.773
RB
43
35
TO
17
5
STL
1
9
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
11
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's BasketballForward
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