FSM Essential Recap: UNLV vs Alabama - Game 3

Alabama slides past the Runnin’ Rebels 86-74 Tuesday night in Asheville, North Carolina.

UNLV sophomore guard Caleb Grill scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Still, the UNLV men’s basketball team lost 86-74 to Alabama on the second day of the Maui Invitational Tuesday night at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

 

Alabama (2-1) had five players score in double figures, led by John Petty Jr.’s 22 points. He was 6 of 10 on 3-pointers and also dished out six assists. 

 

UNLV (0-3) had four players score 11 or more, including 17 from Bryce Hamilton, 12 from David Jenkins Jr., and 11 from Marvin Coleman. 

The Runnin’ Rebels got off to a hot start, but the Crimson Tide’s depth played a huge role in pulling away late in the fourth quarter.  .

With the game tied at 53 with about 14 minutes to play, Alabama outscored the Runnin’ Rebels by 14 over an eight-minute stretch to take a 74-60 lead, its largest of the game with 5:45 to go. Herbert Jones added 16 points, Jaden Shackelford finished with 13, and Joshua Primo 11 for Alabama (2-1). Shackelford and Primo each made three 3-pointers as Alabama was 15 of 40 from behind the arc.

UNLV head basketball coach TJ Otzelberger after the game, said, “For long stretches today, our guys played really well, but we had some key moments where our focus and our effort wasn’t quite as good as it needed to be. Overall, I thought there were 30-32 minutes of really good basketball and something to build on, but for us to get to where we need to be as a team and to be successful in a game like this, we can’t have those lapses and stretches where we let them get going. I thought there was one to start the game, one to start the second half, and then another one in the balance there just around that eight-minute media. So those three stretches got the best of us, and we have to continue to work and build and put together a 40-minute game.”

Game Notes:

•  The tournament was moved to the mainland because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was played with no fans in attendance.
•  Caleb Grill was 10 of 17 from the field and grabbed six rebounds. He also recorded three steals and two assists.
•  It marked the third straight game that Grill has scored in double figures, and he has made at least three 3-pointers in each contest this season.
•  Grill’s seven 3-pointers were the most by a UNLV player since Jovan Mooring made 7 vs. Air Force during the 2016-17 season.
•  UNLV’s Mbacke Diong led all players with nine rebounds, while Moses Wood collected eight.
•  Alabama recorded 21 assists on 29 made field goals.
•  The game was tied at the half, 38-38.
•  There were four lead changes and five ties throughout the game.
•  UNLV outscored Alabama 17-7 on points off turnovers, while Alabama’s bench outscored UNLV’s 14-5.
•  This marked the first meeting all-time between the two schools in men’s basketball.
•  This is UNLV’s fourth all-time Maui Invitational appearance, and the loss dropped the Runnin’ Rebels’ to 5-6 in the event.
  
•  UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in an NCAA-record 1,105 straight games.