Recap: UNLV Runnin Rebels vs UNR Wolfpack
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Runnin’ Rebels (11-10, 6-2) | UNR Wolfpack (12-8, 5-3)
UNLV took their three-game winning and traveled up north to face off against UNR, but fell short 72-86.
With the loss, the Runnin’ Rebels still sit at second place in the Mountain West standings. The team ahead of them is fourth-ranked and undefeated San Diego State, who also happens to be their next opponent. Junior guard Jalen Harris led the way for the Wolfpack with a game-high 28 points. He was one of four players who scored in double-figures. Senior guard Jazz Johnson followed with 19 points and senior guard Lindsey Drew scored 15 points. Senior guard Nisre Zouzoua also contributed 11 points.
For UNLV, it was once again sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton who is continuing to lead the team in scoring ever since the start of conference play. He scored 26 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. Junior guard Amauri Hardy was right behind him with 23 points on 9-15 (60%) shooting from the field. Everyone else on the team struggled to get the ball in the basket as Hamilton and Hardy were the only two in score in double-figures.
That includes the reigning Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, Marvin Coleman. The sophomore guard struggled with a final stat line of five points, seven rebounds, and four assists, after recording the program’s first triple-double in 20 years in the last game against New Mexico.
The Runnin’ Rebels struggled on offense. They struggled on defense as well.
They were called for 23 total fouls and allowed UNR into the bonus early in the second half. A lot of the foul calls were non-shooting fouls so the Wolfpack only shot four more free throws than UNLV. The big difference-maker in the game was the three-point shooting. UNLV shot 28% (7-25), while UNR almost made twice as many from downtown with 42.3% (11-26). The Rebels only led in the opening minutes of the game, before UNR took the lead and never looked back.
The game may have finished as a six-point difference, but it wasn’t always so close. The Wolfpack actually held their largest lead of the game at 16 points with just under four minutes left in the ballgame. Hamilton managed to score his 19 second-half points in a small spurt of time to make things almost interesting. This also happened to be the Runnin’ Rebels’ fifth straight loss to UNR. They will have to wait until Feb. 12 to break that streak, when they play against them again inside the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV was without senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long for the 12th straight game with a broken left thumb. Before his injury, he was averaging 12.9 points per game. He has participated in a few practices with the scout team but has yet to run a full practice with the team. There is still no say on when he will return to the lineup.
Now the Rebels will look to be the first team to take down the last remaining team in the country in San Diego State.
The Rebels have a prime opportunity to pull off the upset victory due to them playing the game at home. Not to mention, UNLV is currently on a six-game home winning streak. With school resuming this past week, the students and Las Vegas faithful will be ready to “Pack the Mack” and get LOUD for the squad. This can potentially be the team’s statement victory and is the biggest game for head coach TJ Otzelberger in his first season at the helm.
UNLV will play against San Diego State on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 1pm. 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
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