Blog: Rebels fall in Reno, unable to keep pace with UNR shooters

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Published Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 | 5 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 | 10:14 p.m.

The Rebels never really got their offense on track, and UNR hit enough shots to pull away for an 86-72 win in Reno on Wednesday.

Amauri Hardy and Bryce Hamilton combined for 49 points, but the rest of the team managed to hit just 4-of-26 from the field for 23 points. While UNLV shot 28.0 percent from 3-point range, UNR hit at a 42.3-percent rate from long distance, led by the guard trio of Jalen Harris (28 points), Jazz Johnson (19 points) and Lindsey Drew (15 points).

Sophomore guard Marvin Coleman followed up his triple-double against San Jose State by shooting 1-of-6 from the field and fouling out in 34 minutes with five points, seven rebounds and four assists.

With the loss, UNLV falls to 6-2 in the Mountain West with a home game against undefeated San Diego State looming on Sunday.

UNR leads UNLV in second half, 53-47

UNR has regained its shooting touch, and the Wolf Pack have rebuilt a 53-47 lead with 11:59 remaining.

UNLV trimmed the deficit to two points early in the half, but 3-point shots from Jazz Johnson and Jalen Harris reestablished UNR's advantage. As a team UNR is 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the second half.

Amauri Hardy is doing his best to keep UNLV within striking distance with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other Rebel has more than seven points.

Rebels close half strong but trail UNR, 33-27

Despite playing one of their ugliest halves of the season on the offensive end, UNLV closed strong and trimmed UNR's lead to 33-27 at the break.

UNLV shot just 24.2 percent in the first half, including 2-of-13 from 3-point range, but the Rebels pounded the glass (12 offensive rebounds) and used a 10-4 advantage in second-chance points to stay close.

Amauri Hardy helped keep the Rebels afloat with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while the rest of the squad made just 4-of-26 in the half.

UNR started hot from 3-point range but cooled as the game wore on (5-of-14). Lindsey Drew and Jalen Harris have scored nine points apiece for the Wolf Pack.

UNR builds 30-19 first-half lead over UNLV

UNR has strangled UNLV defensively for most of the half, and with 3:15 left before the break, the Wolf Pack have a 30-19 lead.

UNLV is shooting just 6-of-26 from the field and a woeful 2-of-12 from 3-point range. The Rebels have also committed five turnovers. UNR has controlled the game by playing a sagging man-to-man defense and forcing the Rebels to beat it from the outside; when UNLV tries to drive, UNR defenders swarm to the ball.

If the Rebels keep it close enough, perhaps T.J. Otzelberger can figure out a counter at halftime and put UNLV in a position to mount a second-half comeback. But for now, UNR has been the far superior squad.

UNR jumps on UNLV early, leads 18-10

It took UNLV six minutes to make its first shot from the field, and with 11:29 left in the first half UNR has an 18-10 lead.

Marvin Coleman got UNLV on the board with a 3-pointer, and Amauri Hardy followed with a 3 of his own, but UNR had already built a 9-2 lead before the Rebels finally connected on a field goal. UNLV has also committed four turnovers so far, contributing to the offensive woes.

On the other end of the floor, UNR guards Jalen Harris and Lindsey Drew have already combined for 11 points.

Three keys for UNLV basketball at UNR

The last time UNLV and UNR met in a major sport, the football teams’ mutual animosity spilled over into a postgame brawl after the Rebels finished off an overtime victory on Nov. 30. That’s not ideal, but it does illustrate the intensity coursing through the in-state rivalry at the moment.

That’s the backdrop for tonight’s basketball game, and though fists probably won’t fly, it looks like there could be a lot at stake for the basketball teams in their first meeting of the season.

UNLV is 6-1 in Mountain West play and looking to stay within striking distance of first-place San Diego State, and UNR is looking to defend its home court while extending its winning streak over the Rebels to five games.

How will it all shake out? Three keys to watch:

Breakout guards

Marvin Coleman and Bryce Hamilton have showed they can play at a high level, as the two sophomore guards have combined to carry UNLV through the first half of the conference season. The next step in their development will be proving it consistently, every game, including on the road in an intense rivalry setting.

No one expects Coleman to produce another triple-double tonight, and no one reasonably thinks Hamilton will score another 35 points against UNR. But can Coleman and Hamilton (and junior guard Amauri Hardy) stare down UNR’s killer backcourt of Jalen Harris (18.4 points per game), Jazz Johnson (16.9 points) and Lindsey Drew (11.6 points)? Can they maybe even outplay the Wolf Pack’s lethal guards?

Hit the glass

For most of the season, UNLV hasn’t been a very good offensive team. But one thing the Rebels are good at is grabbing their own misses and putting them back in. UNLV is No. 7 nationally in offensive rebounding rate (35.7 percent), and all those second-chance points have been keeping the offense afloat.

UNR is an elite team when it comes to securing the possession (27.7 defensive rebounding rate, No. 12 in the country), so this will be strength against strength. Winning the second-chance battle will be crucial for UNLV.

3-point defense

Few teams exploit the 3-point line more efficiently than UNR, which ranks 16^th in the nation in 3’s made per game (9.6). The Wolf Pack make 38.0 percent of their long-range attempts, which ranks 22^nd. And it’s a varied attack, with four players currently shooting better than 35.6 percent from the arc.

If UNLV is going to stay in the game, the Rebels will have to find a way to get out on shooters and force them out of their comfort zone.

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