Blog: Rebels fold late, fall at Utah State

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Published Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 | 5:30 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 | 9:10 p.m.

Utah State closed the game with a 21-6 run and UNLV will head home as 69-54 losers tonight.

UNLV led midway through the second half until USU switched to a zone defense. The Rebels couldn't score the rest of the way and finished the second half 8-of-26 from the field with nine turnovers.

Neemias Queta was the difference-maker for Utah State, as the big man posted 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

UNLV was paced by Bryce Hamilton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Amauri Hardy was the only other Rebel in double figures, but he shot an inefficient 3-of-12 to tally his 10 points.

The Rebels have now lost four straight games and sit at 6-5 in the Mountain West (11-13 overall). They'll head home to host Fresno State on Saturday.

Utah State pulls ahead of UNLV

UNLV racked up fouls early in the second half and it's coming back to haunt the Rebels now. Utah State is living at the line and the Aggies have built a 59-49 lead with 4:52 to play.

After shooting just four free throws in the first half, Utah State has already attempted 15 this half. Sam Merrill has been the biggest beneficiary, as he's 5-of-6 from the stripe since halftime, including four straight that put USU ahead, 44-42.

Utah State is currently on an 11-1 run; Merrill has two 3-pointers during that stretch as well as a pair of free throws. Meanwhile, the Rebels have made just one of their last eight attempts and now it appears the game has gotten away from them.

Rebels lead at Utah State, 41-40

UNLV opened the second half with a 6-0 run and built an eight-point lead, but Utah State has chipped away since then and with 11:59 left to play, it's UNLV 41, Utah State 40.

The Rebels have crashed the glass effectively in the opening minutes, racking up four offensive rebounds after recording zero in the first half. Marvin Coleman scored on an easy putback and Bryce Hamilton also got a layup after winning a scrum under the basket.

Utah State has gone to a zone defense and that has given UNLV trouble on the offensive end. The Rebels are 5-of-12 from the field with three turnovers in the second half.

USU center Neemias Queta is asserting himself, with a game-high 13 points and four rebounds.

UNLV up on Utah State at half, 29-27

It hasn't been aesthetically pleasing, but UNLV has a 29-27 lead over Utah State at the half.

It's been physical. The teams have hammered each other in the paint and the refs have let them play, as the two squads combined to shoot just seven free throws in the first half.

Utah State has done an excellent job keeping UNLV off the glass, as the Rebels didn't grab a single offensive rebound in the first 20 minutes. UNLV has thrived on second-chance points this season, so look for T.J. Otzelberger to make some kind of adjustment to get some more activity on the offensive boards.

After two down games, Amauri Hardy appears to be bouncing back for the Rebels, as he's got a team-high nine points on 3-of-7 shooting. As a team UNLV is 12-of-26 from the floor and 3-of-9 from 3-point range.

Defensively, the Rebels have had some breakdowns that have led to easy Utah State baskets, but for the most part they've held up. Utah State is shooting 11-of-24, but UNLV is winning turnover battle, 8-5.

The Rebels have a real chance to grab a win tonight, in a building that has been brutally inhospitable to them in recent years.

UNLV hanging in early at Utah State

UNLV looked wobbly for a couple minutes there, but consecutive baskets by Bryce Hamilton and Mbacke Diong have trimmed Utah State's early lead to 11-9 with 11:19 left in the first half.

The Rebels went through a scoring drought in which they missed six straight shots from the field, allowing Utah State to go on a 7-0 run before Hamilton and Diong put an end to it. UNLV is 4-of-13 from the field overall.

Nick Blair has picked up two quick fouls, sending him to the bench. Donnie Tillman is at power forward now and should log most of the minutes there until halftime.

Three keys for UNLV basketball at Utah State

UNLV’s win over preseason conference favorite Utah State a month ago was one of the events that sparked the Rebels’ 6-1 start in the Mountain West, but the USU team they’ll face tonight is almost a completely different squad.

After a slow start, Utah State has climbed to 17-7 overall and 6-5 in the Mountain West. The Aggies are also 11-1 at home, so it will take UNLV’s best effort to log a win in Logan.

Three keys for UNLV:

Hit jump shots

This is a tough one for UNLV, as the roster isn’t loaded with natural shooters. But the Rebels have difficulty finishing inside, and Utah State has one of the best rim protectors in the nation in sophomore center Neemias Queta. For the season, opponents are shooting just 54.5 percent at the rim, which ranks the Aggies No. 68. UNLV probably won’t have a ton of success driving into the big man, so they’ll need to be on target from deep in order to make up the difference.

Get Hardy going

Since Bryce Hamilton ascended to the No. 1 scoring role, guard Amauri Hardy has seen his production dip. Over the last two games, Hardy has scored just six total points. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger believes both players can excel together, and tonight would be a good time for it. In the Rebels’ 70-53 win over Utah State on Jan. 1, Hamilton scored 20 and Hardy tallied 14, so this could be an opportunity for the Rebels’ tandem to get back on track.

Defend the 3

In the first meeting between these teams, Utah State shot 2-of-19 from 3-point range. UNLV can’t count on that kind of luck again, so defending the arc will be a priority. Just 43 percent of Utah State’s shots come around the rim; the rest are jumpers. UNLV defenders can’t get over-anxious on dribble-drives or post-ups — they’ve got to stay home on the perimeter and take away the Aggies’ catch-and-shoot opportunities.

TV: CBS Sports Network, 7 p.m.

UNLV: 11-12, 6-4 MWC (KenPom No. 129)

Coach: T.J. Otzelberger

Leading scorer: Bryce Hamilton, 14.8 points per game

Leading rebounder: Mbacke Diong, 8.7 rebounds per game

Leading assists: Elijah Mitrou-Long, 3.5 assists per game

Utah State: 17-7, 6-5 MWC (KenPom No. 45)

Coach: Craig Smith

Leading scorer: Sam Merrill, 17.8 points per game

Leading rebounder: Justin Bean, 10.1 rebounds per game

Leading assists: Sam Merrill, 4.0 assists per game

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.