UNLV upsets another top Mountain West team on road

Photo Credit: Lucas Peltier/UNLV Athletics

Fine time for the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels to snag their third road win in nine tries.

UNLV downed Fresno State, 60-57, Wednesday, Feb. 16 from the Save Mart Center.

Coming into the game, the Rebels were slotted in the sixth spot in the Mountain West while the Bulldogs sat one spot ahead.

The win salvages a series split for the program after losing at home to Fresno State in late January.

Now, the team is 15-11 on the year and 7-6 in the Mountain West.

UNLV will return home for a big time matchup against the Colorado State Rams, Saturday, Feb. 19 from the Thomas & Mack Center.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Senior guard Bryce Hamilton hit a clutch three-pointer with 2:16 left in regulation, putting the finishing touches on a 17-point scoring night.

This came after a 1-for-6 start for the Pasadena, California native.

UNLV came out on the winning end of a game that produced five ties and nine lead changes.

Moreover, the Rebels held the lead for 19:06 to the Bulldogs’ 15:41.

Games of runs is the best way to categorize the back-and-forth affair that was UNLV vs. Fresno State 2.0.

The Bulldogs went on a 15-0 run in the first half that saw the Rebels go scoreless for more than six minutes.

During that stretch, the home team was able to build a lead as large as 13 points.

Before the end of the first half, UNLV had its turn. The team went on a 16-0 run to go up three points when Fresno State was struggling offensively.

In totality, the road team closed the last six minutes of the first half on a 21-6 run.

Fifth-year senior Royce Hamm Jr. scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half to go along with five rebounds.

UNLV would grow the lead to five points in the second half but needed a game-saving block from junior forward Victor Iwuakor in the closing seconds of the game up four on the scoreboard.

The game opened with poor shooting from both teams.

By halftime, UNLV had found its footing, shooting 43% from the field and 6-of-14 from three-point range.

On the other hand, Fresno State went into halftime shooting 39% from the floor and 3-of-12 from deep.

More poor shooting followed in the second half but once again the road team got the better of the home squad.

The Rebels shot 38% in the second half while handcuffing the Bulldogs to a 28%-mark.

Junior forward and Las Vegas native Orlando Robinson was held to seven points on 3-of-14 shooting before eventually fouling out.