UCLA Defeats UNLV, 72-64

The return of guard Michelle Greco continues to give UCLA hope that a winning season is possible after two straight disappointing seasons.

The Bruins continued to look like a rejuvenated team, defeating previously unbeaten Nevada Las Vegas on Sunday, 72-64, to win the Lady Rebel Shootout at Thomas & Mack Center.

Greco, a senior, who sat out most of last season because of concussions, had 26 points and five rebounds for UCLA (3-1), which won its third straight game.

Guard Gennifer Arranaga and forward Whitney Jones came off the bench to score 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Senior guard Constance Jinks had 26 points for UNLV (3-1).

UCLA shot 76% -- making 19 of 25 shots -- to take a 41-34 halftime lead. The Bruins would never trail again after taking a 31-28 lead on a three-pointer by Greco with 4:29 remaining in the half.

The Rebels outrebounded UCLA, 43-30, but the Bruins more than made up the difference at the foul line, making 17 of 24 free throws. By contrast, the Rebels made only six of 17 free throws and shot 39.4% from the field.

Greco, who moved past Janae Hubbard into 10th place on the all-time UCLA scoring list Sunday, was named the tournament most valuable player.

-- Mike Terry

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In a rematch of last season’s NCAA final, Diana Taurasi scored 30 points to lead No. 5 Connecticut to a 73-60 victory over No. 23 Oklahoma in the championship game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu. Taurasi was 12 for 19 from the field, including four for six from three-point range. Connecticut (5-0) led, 44-22, at halftime. Maria Villaroel scored 27 points for the Sooners (5-2).... Gwen Jackson and Kara Lawson scored 14 points each to lead No. 4 Tennessee (5-1) over Saint Louis, 75-40, on the final day of the San Juan Shootout at Carolina, Puerto Rico, but the Lady Vols may have lost forward Brittany Jackson for the season. Jackson collided with an opponent with 29 seconds left and may have damaged ligaments in her left knee.... No. 6 Purdue (5-0) shot only 38%, but defeated Southern Mississippi, 65-53, in a nonconference game at Hattiesburg, Miss. The Boilermakers held the Eagles (2-2) to 39% shooting.... No. 9 Vanderbilt (4-0), led, 42-15, at halftime and went on to rout Harvard, 84-44, in the championship game of the First Tennessee Tournament at Nashville.... La’Tangela Atkinson scored 19 points and No. 11 North Carolina (4-0) beat Hawaii (3-2), 61-50, in the third-place game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic.... Cathy Joens scored 28 points to lead No. 21 George Washington (2-1) to a 78-37 victory over Virginia Commonwealth in a nonconference game at Washington.