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Ready to put the non-conference schedule behind them, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels opened conference play with a double-digit win.
Entering with a 94-plus percent chance to win, UNLV dusted Fresno State, 87-77, Saturday, Dec. 28 from the Thomas & Mack Center. That gives the program six home wins in seven tries this season.
“Happy [and] proud,” head coach Kevin Kruger said. “Clearly, could’ve gone in a different direction in the second half. A great learning opportunity for us to recognize a team like that especially is going to put their foot on the gas and keep going. But the cushion that was built was earned.”
The Rebels went 2-4 to close their non-conference slate prior to the double-digit victory to open Mountain West play. As a result, the program is now 7-5 approaching the new year.
Next up, UNLV will embark on its first conference road game of the season when it travels to Colorado to take on Air Force. That game is scheduled to be contested Tuesday, Dec. 31 with tip-off slated for 1 p.m.
”It’s huge for us obviously getting off to a good start,” junior guard Jaden Henley said. “The whole team has a lot of confidence in us being able to win the conference and that’s the main goal so starting 1-0 is great for us.”
Former UNLV recruit Zaon Collins, who now stars for Fresno State, was assessed a technical foul that would change the complexion of the game. At the time it was called, the Rebels were up four. However, four straight free throws and a made three would push the lead back to 11 as part of a 14-5 run by the home team.
Fresno State opened the second half on an 11-2 run on the way to trimming the deficit to four after heading into halftime down 18 points.
”You’ve got to know the personnel,” Kruger said. “In the first half, I thought we did a great job. We had clean switches and did a good job boxing out and finishing possessions. But we kind of let them get going. They’re a team that does really well when building each other’s confidence.”
In what was ultimately a wire-to-wire win, UNLV ran the lead to as large as 23 points in the first half beginning with a 13-2 run to begin the first half pummeling. In that first half, the team shot 20-of-31 from the field before being held to 15-of-34.
“I thought the guys did a great job sharing the ball,” Kruger said. “Great defensive possessions that led to a lot of really good offensive possessions in the first half and then in the second half we just couldn’t seem to get all five guys going at the same time.”
Collins was the direct matchup of sophomore guard Dedan Thomas Jr. during his 21-point outing. He scored his 21 points on 9-of-17 with a team-high six assists. Twelve of those points came in the second half of the win.
Reserve guard Jailen Bedford erupted for 10 of his 18 points in the first half. He also was responsible for three of the team’s 10 made three-pointers.
”I think we played very well,” he said. “I think we played well as a collective with each other but we moved the ball around. We passed, we took some great open shots and we just played well.”
Henley added 15 points while freshman center Pape N’Diaye chipped in with 11 points. The latter’s outing was a career-high.
First-year Rebel Bear Cherry was limited to just two points on one make on his lone attempt in 10 first half minutes. He wouldn’t finish the game after fouling out late in regulation with four of those fouls coming in the second half.
Even with Cherry limited in on-court action, UNLV edged Fresno State by 12. In addition, the team won the points in the paint battle, 50-28.
“Intent,” Kruger said of the team’s rebounding aggressiveness. “Word is out that people are going to question our toughness and they’re going to challenge our toughness. Defensive rebound is not about anything other than being tough and physical.”
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