Blog: Lobos fend off Rebels for 87-83 victory in The Pit

By Taylor Bern

Published Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 | 4 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 | 7:13 p.m.

New Mexico 87, UNLV 83

Game over

New Mexico's Elijah Brown and Tim Williams combined for 55 points and on UNLV's last possession that really meant something, fifth-year senior Jerome Seagears drove straight into an awaiting wall to help the Lobos escape with an 87-83 victory.

Stephen Zimmerman Jr. scored a career-high 21 points and Jordan Cornish hit five straight 3-pointers in the second half. But when the Rebels needed them most, Seagears put his head down and charged to the rim without any success. Seagears finished with five points on 2-of-9 shooting, though he also had five rebounds and five assists to two turnovers.

The game went back and forth most of the night. First it was Brown and Zimmerman waging war, then in the second half it was Williams and Cornish taking over. UNLV's defense was never particularly good, though it did hold New Mexico under 35 percent shooting for much of the second half. The problem was the Lobos still got to the free-throw line — they're the league's best at doing so — and all told they hit 28-of-36 at the stripe compared to UNLV's 13-of-16. UNLV attempted only two free throws in the second half.

UNLV was beat on points in the paint 50-30 and the frontcourt defense was lacking in the absence of Ben Carter. Check lasvegassun.com later tonight for a full report from the Rebels' defeat.

Other than Derrick Jones Jr. picking up two fouls in the first 29 seconds, pretty much everything went right the last time UNLV and New Mexico played each other. It was an emotion-charged game played about 48 hours after Dave Rice was fired, and the Rebels controlled things with 27 made free throws, only seven turnovers and a defense that made the Lobos’ frontcourt work for everything they got.

A big part of that defense was junior forward Ben Carter, and one of the keys to this game — one of the keys to the rest of the season, really — is how well UNLV can function without Carter in the lineup. The first answer starts tonight at 5 p.m. Las Vegas time when the Rebels (13-9, 4-5) tip-off against the Lobos (13-8, 6-2) at The Pit on CBS Sports Network.

Carter, a Bishop Gorman High grad, is out for the remainder of the season after a freak play in the first half Saturday against San Diego State. Carter went up for a rebound and came down awkwardly on his left leg, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and possibly doing damage beyond that.

It’s a tough break for a guy who returned home from Oregon to be closer to his family and because of the great relationship he had with Rice. First Rice was removed, and then for the second straight year Carter couldn’t finish the season — he suffered a back injury that eventually required surgery in February 2015.

Now if Jones picks up two quick fouls, Carter isn’t there to replace him. The same goes for Dwayne Morgan or Stephen Zimmerman Jr., all of whom will be relied on more in Carter’s absence.

Carter filled up box scores and more often than not made the right play. Against New Mexico, he frustrated big man Tim Williams and helped UNLV coast to the 12-point victory. Without him, it’s going to take several different players to fill in Carter’s production, and starting tonight we’ll see how capable the Rebels of doing that.

Prediction: The Lobos seem far too low at minus-3, but I’m backing the favorite regardless of the fact that this line stinks. New Mexico 78, UNLV 68

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