UNLV has had multiple consecutive road games in this last stretch of games. It is hard for teams to go into a conference rival’s home court and come out with a victory. However, The Runnin’ Rebels did just that Wednesday night in Fresno.
Fresno started off hot with going up on the Rebels in the early moments of the first half. They started off on a 6-0 run which was sparked by an Orlando Robinson dunk.
The Rebels then came back with their own 8-0 run which was capped off by a Bryce Hamilton shot from behind the arc. With a little less than 15 minutes left in the half, the Rebels were up 8-6.
The Bulldogs then proceeded to go on a 15-0 run putting them up 21-8 with nine minutes left in the first half. That was the Dogs largest lead of the night. They looked in control for most of the second half until the Hamilton led Rebels came back in the last five minutes of the half.
The Rebels tied the game up at 25 a piece with 3:11 seconds left with a mid-range jumper from Donovan Williams. He was fouled on the play by Robinson and made his free throw to give the Rebels their first lead since early in this half.
This game turned into a battle once UNLV came back from being down 13.
With just about two minutes left and a four point play from Fresno’s Anthony Holland, the Rebels were down one until Mike Nuga made a three ball to put his team up 31-29. After a Fresno missed three, Nuga got a defensive board which ended in a Hamilton layup on the other side of the court to put the Rebels up 33-29.
The first half ended in a Rebel lead of 33-31.
It was a tale of two halves in Fresno as the second half was nothing like the first. The biggest lead was just by only seven points. throughout the whole half.
It started off with a Royce Hamm Jr. dunk just a little under 20 seconds into the half. The Dogs came a pair of free throws made by Jordan Campbell. The Dogs kept it tight during this half with a few key three point jumpers from Isaiah Hill.
This was a low scoring half that came down to the wire.
After a three point bucket from Fresno’s Junior Ballard, tying the game at 54 a piece with 3:50 left in the game, UNLV’s Hamilton drained a shot from behind the arc to put the Rebels up 57-54 with 2:18 left. This shot from behind the arc essentially sealed the deal for the Rebels.
Fresno could not score for the rest of the game until Ballard made all three of his free throws after getting fouled at the three point line with only one second left in the game.
Final score – 60-57 UNLV
A very defensive game from both squads. Hamilton lead this Rebels team again with 17 points and the key three ball and free throws to seal the deal for the Rebels. Isaiah Hill lead the Dogs in points with 14, but it was not enough to pull ahead late. Orlando Robinson for the Dogs, who put up 24 points last time playing the Rebels, could only manage to put up 7 after being 3/14 from the field.
The Rebels are back at home against Colorado State on Saturday, February 19th at 5:00 PM PST. The Rebels beat the Rams in their first matchup up in Colorado, 88-74.