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Though it took until the team’s second showing of the season, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels have picked up their first win of the new year.
UNLV put the clamps on Stetson during a 71-55 win Saturday, Nov. 11 from the Thomas & Mack Center. Hall-of-Fame Rebel player Anderson Hunt had his No. 12 uniform retired at halftime.
The split through two games brings an end to the team’s two-game homestand to open the new season. As a result, UNLV will not have another home game until Tuesday, Nov. 28. For now, the program will turn its attention to its first road game of the year when it travels to Malibu, CA for a date with Pepperdine.
Two nights after being stunned by Southern, UNLV rooted itself in its defensive principles to ensure the stunner of a night wouldn’t be duplicated. The team held Stetson to 32% from the field during the game including 26% in the first half.
The home team used a 14-2 run in the first half to go up double-digits before building a lead as large as 15 in the first 20-minute session. To compound matters, the Rebels opened the second half on an 8-0 run to pull away even more.
Constant perimeter pressure forced the Hatters into 11 turnovers on the night which turned into 17 points in the other direction. Moreover, the Rebels outscored their opponent, 10-0, in terms of fast break points.
While forcing Stetson into double-figure turnovers, UNLV didn’t commit its first turnover until the 10:22-mark of the second half. By the final buzzer, the team had turned the ball over just five times.
Freshman guard Dedan Thomas Jr. took better care of the ball in his second collegiate start while once again filling the stat sheet in the first half. He’d finish with four points, nine assists, seven rebounds, two steals and a block while not committing a single turnover.
Fifth-year guard Luis Rodriguez became the second leading scorer in as many games for the program, turning in 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and three assists.
Fellow fifth-year player Jalen Hill posted a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Fifth-year transfer forward Kalib Boone made his UNLV debut after missing the season opener due to suspension. He entered for his first minutes of the season less than four minutes following the opening tip-off, making his presence felt almost immediately.
Boone finished with nine points on 50% from the floor coupled with four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 23 minutes on the floor.
Fifth-year guard Justin Webster scored nine points on 3-for-9 shooting including a 3-for-7 finishing mark from three-point range.
As a team, UNLV missed its first six three-point attempts before connecting on its next four tries in succession. Ultimately, the Rebels were 6-for-16 from deep in the first half before being cooled off in the second half to the tune of 4-for-15.