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UNLV defeats Omaha after slippery start

UNLV held off a late-game surge from Omaha to claim an 80-69 victory on Thursday night in Las Vegas, improving to 2-1 overall this season.

Forwards Jalen Hill and Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry led UNLV in scoring, with 17 points each. Hill grabbed eight rebounds and five steals, while Cherry added four rebounds in the victory.

Cherry has been unstoppable in his first three games at the Division I level. Cherry has gone 21 for 23 from the field, making it difficult for teams to gameplan against him.

Sophomore guard Dedan “DJ” Thomas Jr. also had an efficient game. Thomas scored 15 points, including a pair of free throws near the end of the second half, to help put the game away for UNLV.

The Runnin’ Rebels were without two players on Thursday. Senior forward Rob Whaley Jr. and junior Jace Whiting did not suit up for the Scarlet and Gray. Whiting was wearing a boot on the bench, battling a foot injury, and hopes to return to the lineup soon.

The Runnin’ Rebels forced 19 turnovers on the Mavericks. UNLV’s defense turned those turnovers into points, scoring 30 total points off turnovers.

UNLV also forced its way to the free-throw line. The team shot 24 for 25 from the line for a 96% success rate.

Turnovers and free-throw shooting made the difference in the contest. The Mavericks outrebounded the Runnin’ Rebels, 33-31.

The Runnin’ Rebels got off to a slow start, falling to a 9-2 deficit early in the first half. UNLV missed its first few shots, causing UNLV coach Kevin Kruger to call a timeout.

The Runnin’ Rebels went into halftime with a 39-25 lead but not after giving up 15 points in five minutes to the Mavericks.

UNLV went up 13 in the middle of the second half. A handful of turnovers, some free throws and efficient interior scoring gave UNLV a sizable lead.

No lead is safe in college basketball. The Mavericks junior guard Ja’Sean Glover turned up the heat from the 3-point line. Glover hit three 3-pointers to knock the lead from 13 to four.

Kruger called a timeout to regroup his team. The Runnin’ Rebels found themselves in familiar territory after having a similar turn of events occur in their recent game against Memphis.

The outcome was different this time. UNLV executed effectively down the stretch, capitalizing on key moments by finishing at the rim, getting to the free-throw line and dominating the boards. These factors proved decisive in securing the Runnin’ Rebels’ victory.

“I think we all just needed to come together,” Cherry said. “I think we were just kind of separated at moments, but we’re a new team, and coach Kruger had some great points down the stretch.”

Kruger was visibly pleased at the end of the game. The fourth-year head coach saw the improvements down the stretch and raved about the execution to secure the win.

“We’re getting better but we just have to be more consistent, just more stretches of consistent play,” Kruger said postgame. “We were fortunate enough to come out with a win, but they challenged us.”

Glover posted a team-high 17 points for the Mavericks. Omaha senior forward Marquel Sutton posted 16 points and five rebounds as the second-leading scorer for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks have dropped two straight, while the Runnin’ Rebels bounced back to return to the win column, building momentum as they gear up for another challenging non-conference matchup next week.

UNLV hosts Pepperdine for the first time in Las Vegas since the 2005-06 season. The contest is set for 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) Wednesday at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Johnathan Harris
Johnathan Harris
Johnathan Harris was born and raised in Las Vegas and is now a senior at UNLV. He has written for the last two years for UNLV’s Scarlet and Gray and Rebel Report. Follow Harris on X (Twitter) @jxhn_h.

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