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March 19, 2024

Rebels basketball:

Blog: Rebels shake off sluggish start for 80-62 win

UNLV forward Dwayne Morgan gets fouled

L.E. Baskow

UNLV forward Dwayne Morgan (15) takes a hard foul underneath the basket versus Prairie View defenders at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Updated Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 | 10:39 p.m.

UNLV Defeats Prairie View

UNLV guard Patrick McCaw (22, right) looks to get off a shot over Prairie View forward Admassu Williams (23) at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, November 28, 2015. Launch slideshow »

UNLV 80, Prairie View A&M 62

Game over

Pat McCaw scored 18, Ben Carter and Derrick Jones Jr. combined for 24 points plus the energy plays UNLV needed and the Rebels move to 6-1 with an 80-62 victory against Prairie View A&M. UNLV returns to action Friday against Oregon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Stephen Zimmerman Jr. had 10 points and six rebounds in nine minutes before an ankle injury ended his evening. We'll see how serious it was. My guess is he could have returned if the Rebels needed him, but there's no sense risking anything in a game like this. The Panthers are 0-6 on the year, and even though the Rebels trailed most of the first half, there was never any concern about the outcome.

Tyrell Green had played only two minutes all season, but he knew his role would increase tonight both because of the competition and because of Goodluck Okonoboh's transfer Friday. Green had nine points and six rebounds in 15 minutes, while Jalen Poyser struggled in his 11 minutes, missing all four of his shot attempts.

The Rebels have some time now to get healthy and they'll need it, because Oregon is a very good team. I'd call Friday a 50/50 game, the same feeling I had about both UCLA and No. 13 Indiana, so it's an opportunity for UNLV to get another nice nonconference victory.

Check lasvgeassun.com later tonight for a full report from the Rebels' victory.

Even before Goodluck Okonboh’s transfer out of the program, this game looked like an opportunity for UNLV’s end of the bench to get some work. Now that’s especially true for guys such as Jalen Poyser and Tyrell Green, who have a chance to grow in their roles.

UNLV (5-1) tips off at 7 p.m. today against Prairie View A&M (0-5) at the Thomas & Mack Center. The game will stream on unlvrebels.com.

Okonoboh, a sophomore forward from Boston, left the program Friday and will finish the semester academically while figuring out his next destination. He tried to leave sooner, per multiple sources, by looking into flying out of Maui following UNLV’s loss to UCLA, though UNLV coach Dave Rice said he was unaware of that situation.

Whatever the particulars, Okonoboh was unhappy with his diminished role. What matters for UNLV is what it can get in his absence.

Offensively, the Rebels will be fine, because only for a stretch toward the end of last season was Okonoboh a major factor at that end. For the most part he has been a rim protector who can guard a pick-and-roll but doesn’t add much on offense.

The guy who benefits most is Green, who nearly redshirted and now has a chance to come off the end of UNLV’s bench. Tonight we’ll see how much run he gets, how much Poyser gets to run the point and if sophomore Jordan Cornish can snap his 0-for-14 streak beyond the 3-point line.

Prediction: It’s going to be a letdown spot for the Rebels, but they should still be comfortable most of the second half. UNLV 80, Prairie View A&M 63

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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