The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels defeated No. 22 Utah State 65-62 late in the second half, capping off the win with a 7-0 run to end the game.
Sophomore guard Dedan “DJ” Thomas Jr. shot 2 of 12 before connecting on his final two shots. Thomas drove to the basket and finished through contact to put UNLV up by 1 with 1:59 left.
The following play, Thomas hit a turnaround contested jump shot to solidify the 65-62 victory.
Senior forward and Las Vegas native Jalen Hill aided UNLV to the victory as the leading scorer for the night. Hill posted 15 points, eight rebounds and one blocked shot late in the game, with his offensive output making up for Thomas’ struggles.
UNLV and the Aggies started off exchanging shots. The Aggies, led by senior guard Ian Martinez, came into the Thomas and Mack Center undefeated in conference play.
The Runnin’ Rebels came into the game with a sense of urgency. UNLV outscored the Aggies in second-chance points 11-5.
The UNLV offense, which consists of give-and-goes and feeding the interior, worked against Utah State. UNLV scored 36 points in the paint compared to the Aggies’ 20 points.
In the first half, UNLV kept the game close. The Runnin’ Rebels trailed for the majority of the first, getting into foul trouble early.
UNLV bigs Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry and Pape N’Diaye quickly picked up two personal fouls, each forcing head coach Kevin Kruger to go deep into his bench.
Despite the foul trouble, the Runnin’ Rebels played with more urgency and intensity that seemingly lacked in their previous two outings.
Rebounding, one of the main problems for this UNLV team, was one of the strong points of the victory.
The Runnin’ Rebels outrebounded Utah State 37-34, converting second-chance points and outscoring the Aggies 11-5.
UNLV took the lead going into halftime 32-30. The team shot 2 of 16 from 3-point range and 11 of 30 from the floor in the first half.
Utah State came out of the half aggressive. Tucker Anderson connected for back-to-back 3-point shots, tying the game 36-36 early in the second half.
The Aggies went up seven points late in the second half, their biggest lead of the game. Kruger called a timeout to regroup the team.
Out of the timeout, UNLV contested a jump shot from Drake Allen and UNLV guard Brooklyn Hicks scored a layup off a pass from Thomas.
Hicks gave the Runnin’ Rebels a spark, something the sophomore has done all season coming off the bench. Hicks found Julian Rishwain next possession, knocking down a 3-point shot to put UNLV only down two points late in the second half.
UNLV held Utah State scoreless for the final 2:49 of the game, grabbing rebounds and playing solid defense, limiting the Aggies down the stretch.
“Obviously, my shot today wasn’t falling, and I had to impact the game in a different way,” Thomas said postgame. “I just started picking up the ball full court and putting pressure on them, keeping the intensity and putting pressure on them.”
UNLV forced 12 turnovers and scored 11 points from those turnovers. Utah State had some questionable moments, including a miscommunication that led to a wild pass going out of bounds.
“To get up off the mat after last week was a great thing to see,” Kruger said. “It felt like our defense was the focal point tonight, and it led to a lot of good offense. When we do that, we have a lot of good days.”
The Runnin’ Rebels improve to 10-7 overall and 4-2 in Mountain West Conference play. With this win, UNLV remains sixth in conference standings.
The Aggies remain in first place in the conference despite the loss. Sophomore forward Tucker Anderson led the Aggies in scoring, posting 19 points and five rebounds. Ian Martinez assisted with 15 points, shooting 5 of 11 from the field.
Utah State, ranked third in the latest Mid-Major Basketball Power 20 rankings, has a week off before returning home to host Nevada next Wednesday.
UNLV gears up for another tough matchup in the Mountain West. On Saturday, the Runnin’ Rebels travel to Viejas Arena for a matchup against the San Diego State Aztecs. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. EST, with the game broadcasted on CBS Sports Network.
