Blog: TCU pulls away from Rebels for 63-59 win

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Published Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 | 6:30 p.m.

Updated Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 | 9:56 p.m.

That was fun, wasn't it?

UNLV fell to TCU, 63-59, and the game itself was an ugly affair. TCU couldn't put it away from the free-throw line despite tons of opportunities (15-of-28 from the line), and the Rebels couldn't stop giving the ball away (19 turnovers). But the game was competitive, and if you're looking for a bright side, the Rebels played this game shorthanded and still looked like a team that should have a puncher's chance in the Mountain West this season.

Jalen Poyser led the way with 19 points and four assists, and Dwayne Morgan played one of his finest games as a Rebel, totaling 13 points and seven rebounds in 28 foul-plagued minutes.

TCU didn't score a field goal in the final 4:36, but UNLV was unable to get over the hump at the other end of the floor. The Rebels made just 12-of-33 from the field (36.4 percent) in the second half, and Poyser didn't have much support—no other Rebel scored in the final four minutes.

UNLV drops to 3-2 with the loss and will face Western Kentucky at 5 p.m. on Saturday in the consolation game of the Global Sports Classic.

Rebels roar back to life

It was touch-and-go for a few minutes, as TCU pushed the lead as high as seven points on two occasions, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Uche Ofoegbu and Jalen Poyser have brought the Rebels back to life. TCU leads 50-49 with 6:21 remaining, and the Frogs will have possession after the timeout.

Turnovers are still a huge issue for the Rebels. They have committed seven already in the second half, bringing their total to 19 for the game. Two recent giveaways led to fast-break opportunities for TCU.

Rebels holding on despite turnovers

UNLV has committed four turnovers in the first eight minutes of the second half, but TCU has been unable to pull away, as the Frogs lead 45-40 with 11:05 to play. Tyrell Green is leading the Rebels with 10 points, while Jalen Poyser has added eight.

Free throws could be UNLV's best friend tonight. TCU's next foul will put UNLV in the bonus, and considering the way the Rebels have struggled to generate offense in the halfcourt, every trip to the free-throw line will help.

Rebels trail at half

Vlad Brodziansky's layup at the buzzer has given TCU a 30-27 halftime lead. Given the way UNLV played over the final 12 minutes of the opening frame, I'm guessing Menzies will take being down just three.

The Rebels started hot, but TCU went to a zone defense midway through the half and UNLV hasn't been able to figure it out. UNLV has committed 12 turnovers already, and very few offensive possessions have been clean. The only thing keeping the Rebels close is 3-point shooting: UNLV is 5-of-9 from long range, paced by Poyser's 2-of-3 showing, while TCU is just 3-of-14.

UNLV went to its own zone defense late in the half and seemed to have success with it. Given the foul trouble for Morgan and Baxter, Menzies may stick with it in the second half.

Brodziansky is leading TCU with 11 points in 11 minutes. Fisher has five points on 2-of-6 shooting amid all the booing being rained down on him from the UNLV faithful.

TCU surges into lead

Momentum has shifted in TCU's favor, as the Frogs are currently on a 16-3 run and have taken a 22-19 lead with 6:33 remaining in the first half.

UNLV is struggling mightily to deal with TCU's aggressive, trapping zone defense. The Rebels have committed six turnovers in the last seven minutes and are struggling to complete simple passes. TCU is by far the quickest, most physical team UNLV has played this season, and it's showing.

Fouls continue to be a big problem for the Rebels. Dwayne Morgan is playing with two (though you wouldn't know it from all the swiping at the ball he's doing), and Troy Baxter is playing with three. Any more whistles against those guys in the first half would severely compromise Marvin Menzies' game plan. For now, the Rebels are just trying to hang on.

Poyser, Green shoot Rebels to early lead

The Rebels are off to another fast start, courtesy of 3-point field goals from Jalen Poyser and Tyrell Green to open the game. UNLV raced out to an 11-2 lead and now hold a 16-12 advantage with 11:45 remaining in the first half.

Fans at the Thomas & Mack Center are booing former UNLV commit Jaylen Fisher every time he touches the ball, and it's given some life to the crowd. I'm not saying it's right to boo an 18-year-old for his college decision, I'm just saying it sounds fun for the fans in attendance.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Dwayne Morgan somewhat predictably picked up two fouls in the first four minutes of action—both unnecessary, ticky-tack touch fouls away from the ball—and has been forced to the bench. Freshman Troy Baxter is also in foul trouble, on the bench with three. Freshman Djordjije Sljivancanin is now playing center for the Rebels as they try to build on the early lead.

Jones and Dembele out vs. TCU

Bad news for UNLV, as starting center Christian Jones and freshman big man Cheickna Dembele are both out for tonight's game. Jones and Dembele are currently on the sideline in street clothes while the rest of the Rebels go through pregame warmups. Jones is a particularly tough loss, as the senior is logging a team-high 33 minutes per game. The Rebels will likely turn to junior forward Dwayne Morgan to start at center, with freshman Troy Baxter backing him up.

The Rebels are now perilously thin in the frontcourt. Rebounding will have to be a team effort, and defensively the Rebels will need to work hard to limit penetration by TCU's guards. Any failures in those areas will make this game extremely difficult to win.

Rebels set to measure progress vs. TCU

Measuring-stick games are fun, and that's what we'll have on our hands tonight when UNLV takes on undefeated TCU (4-0).

The Rebels are 3-1, but the schedule to this point has been uninspiring. So while TCU isn't a Final Four contender or anything, the Horned Frogs are clearly the best team UNLV has played so far. Win or lose, this game should provide us with some clarity regarding the state of the team in Marvin Menzies' first year.

The matchup at point guard will be interesting for a number of reasons. On the court, TCU freshman Jaylen Fisher is a tough, physical playmaker currently averaging 11.5 points, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game, so UNLV starter Jalen Poyser will have his hands full at both ends of the court. Poyser has been excellent through four games, leading the Rebels in scoring (17.0 points per game) on 45.7 percent shooting, and if he's going to take a step forward to become a leader for UNLV this season, these are the types of matchups he has to win.

Aside from their play on the court, the Poyser-Fisher matchup will give UNLV fans a somewhat somber vision of what could have been. Fisher originally committed to UNLV last year, only to rescind his pledge when the Rebels’ coaching situation came unglued. Now he’s at TCU with former Rebels’ assistant Ryan Miller instead of forming UNLV’s backcourt of the future alongside Poyser. If Fisher goes off and leads the Horned Frogs to victory at the Thomas & Mack Center, it's going to sting a little.

UNLV’s injury situation will also bear monitoring. Christian Jones didn’t play on Tuesday due to a foot injury, and his status for tonight is uncertain. The Rebels have struggled to control defensive rebounds with Jones, so losing their starting center will only shine a spotlight on that weakness. Here’s hoping Jones is well enough to suit up and give the Rebels some support in the frontcourt.

Stick with us here on the live blog for continuous updates throughout the night.

Mike’s prediction: TCU 77, UNLV 70. The Rebels put up a competitive fight, but second-chance points prove to be the difference.