Game Recap: Runnin Rebels vs Colorado State

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Runnin’ Rebels (14-14, 9-6) | Colorado State Rams (18-10, 9-6)

 

UNLV returns to .500 overall with dominating victory over Colorado State, 80-56.

 

It was once again, sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton, who led the way with a game-high 25 points on 11-18 (61%) shooting from the floor and 3-4 (75%) from three. He also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to complete his double-double performance, his third of the season. Senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long scored 16 points, dished out six assists, and recorded three steals. He shot 7-12 (58.3%) from the field and 2-5 (40%) from beyond the arc.

Junior guard Amauri Hardy was the final Runnin’ Rebel to score in double-figures, contributing 11 points, while also dishing out six assists. He shot 4-11 (36%) from the floor and 2-6 (33%) on three-point attempts.

On the other side for the Rams, it was senior center Nico Carvacho who was the only player who was able to get something going with 16 points and eight rebounds. He shot 6-9 (66%) from the floor and 4-9 (44%) from the free-throw line. Everyone else on their team failed to score more than seven points.

The game started with CSU scoring the first five points and having an early 9-7 lead going into the first media timeout. Then at the 14:48 mark of the first half, junior guard Jonah Antonio made the Rebels’ first three-pointer of the game to take the 10-9 lead. Nico Carvacho never looked back and held the lead the entire rest of the game. After the Runnin’ Rebels took the lead, everything was going their way as they played one of their best games of the season. They had their biggest lead of the season at 35 points, at the 7:18 mark of the second half.

 

The Rebels finished the game shooting 33-66 (50%) from the field and an impressive 10-24 (41.7%) from the three. They did not get to the line as much, but they did knock down most of their free throws, going 4-5 (80%).

 

Things did not go as pretty for the Rams, they shot 20-49 (40.8%) from the floor and 4-14 (28.6%) from behind the arc. Free throws were the complete opposite for CSU as they were to get to the line often but only shot a dismal 12-25 (48%) from the line.

Hamilton was everywhere on the floor tonight as he scored in double-figures for the past 15 consecutive games and continued to add to his average of 15.3 points per game. He did his usual game of working the mid-range and taking it to the rack, but his three-pointers were also falling with ease in this one. His two biggest plays were when he received a pass close to the basket and rose up for the powerful two-handed slam, and a few possessions later when he leaped with arms stretched out to swat away a layup attempt off the backboard. Both plays had everyone inside the Thomas & Mack Center out of their seats in the span of a few minutes.

With this dominant victory, UNLV is now riding a two-game winning streak with some heavy momentum into their tough road battle against San Diego State. It will arguably their toughest game of the season as they will face off against the fourth nationally ranked and only remaining undefeated team in the country.

The Runnin’ Rebels gave SDSU their toughest competition so far earlier this season on Jan. 26, when SDSU escaped Las Vegas with the slim 71-67 win. Now the Rebels will have to try to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the year inside a raucous Viejas Arena crowd.

 

UNLV will play against San Diego State on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 4:30 pm. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network and can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1100 AM.

 

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Isaiah Torres

Twitter: Isaiah_Torres24

 

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