IRVINE, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – Five Runnin’ Rebels scored in double figures as the UNLV men’s basketball team won its first-round NIT game at UC Irvine, 75-72, Tuesday night at Bren Events Center.
Kimani Hamilton led the Runnin’ Rebels (18-16) with 14 points, four steals and two blocks, while Tyrin Jones added 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Issac Williams was 4 of 8 on 3-pointers, scoring 13 points, and Howie Fleming scored 12 points with a team-high nine rebounds. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 12 points, all in the first half.
The Anteaters (23-12), who won the Big West’s regular-season championship and lost in its conference tournament’s championship game, were led by Derin Saran’s 18 points and six assists. Harrison Carrington had 14 points and six rebounds, while Jurian Dixon scored 13 and Kyle Evans had a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.
FAST START: UNLV jumped out to a 19-5 lead seven minutes into the game, thanks to a 19-4 run that saw it make eight of its last nine shots at that point, including three of its last four 3-pointers. The Runnin’ Rebels increased their lead to as many as 18 with 8:18 to play until halftime.
UC IRVINE COMEBACK: UNLV led 37-24 at the half, but UCI used a 13-3 run over a little less than three minutes to cut UNLV’s lead to just three points at 53-50 with 10:40 to go.
DOWN THE STRETCH: UNLV got its lead back up to nine at 73-64 with just under three minutes to play, but a 6-0 run by the Anteaters over 2:27 cut their deficit to just three again with less than a minute to go. Jone was fouled and missed the front end of a one-and-one with 28.1 seconds left, but a UCI 3-point try was blocked by Gibbs-Lawhorn. Jones got the rebound and was fouled with six seconds left, again missing the front end of a one-and-one. UNLV fouled after the inbounds pass, and Dixon made two free throws to cut UNLV’s lead to just one at 73-72 with three seconds left. Hamilton was fouled with 2.9 to go and made both free throws to give UNLV its final margin. Saran’s heave from beyond half court as time expired was off the mark.
STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV held UCI to just 24.2% from the field in the first half (8 of 33). The Anteaters missed all five of their 3-point attempts before halftime.
QUOTABLE: “Credit to UC Irvine. Coach Russell Turner is obviously one of the best coaches. They are a really good basketball team. We have won a lot of really good road games this season, and this is another good, true road win for us. They are the No. 3 team in the country in field goal percentage defense, and we shot 54% from the field and 46% from 3-point range. One thing we have been able to do this season is put the ball in the basket, but we also won the game through defense. The guys were ready to play.” – UNLV head coach Josh Pastner.
OTHER NOTES:
– UNLV has won eight of its last 12 games.
– Gibbs-Lawhorn had foul trouble in the second half, committing his fourth with 11 minutes to go.
– UNLV shot 53.7% for the game (29 of 54).
– UCI was 17 of 29 from the field in the second half (58.6%), shooting 40.3% for the game (25 of 62). It made just 3 of 13 3-pointers (23.1%).
– UCI (19 of 25) went to the free-throw line 12 more times than UNLV (6 of 13) did, outscoring the Runnin’ Rebels at the charity stripe by 13.
– UNLV recorded 17 assists on 29 made field goals (58.6%).
– UNLV committed 20 turnovers, while UCI recorded 15 steals.
– UCI led in points from turnovers (21-14) and points in the paint (40-30).
– UNLV has made a 3-pointer in 1,294 straight games – every one since the NCAA adopted the rule in 1986.
NEXT UP: UNLV will travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to face No. 1 seed Tulsa in the NIT’s second round on either Saturday, March 21, or Sunday, March 22. The game’s date, time, and TV network are expected to be confirmed on Wednesday.
