LAS VEGAS -- Cal State LA's women's basketball team played its first of three exhibition games against NCAA Division I opponents Wednesday at two-time defending Mountain West Conference champion UNLV.

The Golden Eagles knocked down three early 3-pointers and trailed by just one point halfway through the first quarter, but UNLV ended the period by scoring 22 straight points and went on to a 95-59 victory over a short-handed Cal State LA squad.

Newcomer Gabrielle Rones had an efficient game and led the Golden Eagles with 10 points in 20 minutes. She was 4-off-5 from the floor and hit 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Another newcomer, Alicia Jones, had eight points and so did two-time All-California Collegiate Athletic Association guard Lily Buggs, who hit a pair of 3-pointers to even the game early at 6-6.

The game also marked the return of Iyanna Lamb, who missed all of the 2022-23 season. She hit a pair of 3-pointers and had six points in 15 minutes.

Cal State LA was still missing several players, but 10 Golden Eagles did see action in the contest.

Desi-Rae Young had 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead UNLV, which is favored to win a third straight Mountain West Conference title and received votes in both the USA Today Coaches and Associated Press preseason Top-25 polls.

Nevaeh Asiasi had seven points, while Ronyae Jackson and Lamb had six points each.

Cal State LA shot just 33.8 percent for the game (24-of-71) was just 22.2 percent from 3-point range (8-of-36). UNLV shot 50 percent (39-of-78) and was 6-of-24 from 3-point range. The Golden Eagles struggled at the free-throw line, making just 3-of-8 attempts, while UNLV was 11-of-14. UNLV had a 60-31 rebounding edge.

Cal State LA will play its other two exhibition games in December, one at San Diego State on Dec.4 and the other on Dec. 29 at Pepperdine.

The Golden Eagles will open their 2023-24 regular season on Nov. 10 against Seattle Pacific in the West Region Crossover Classic at Western Washington.