Boise State Broncos forward Tyson Degenhart (2) and UNLV Rebels guard Luis Rodriguez (15) fall to the court during the second half of an NCAA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Rodriguez (15) was called for an offensive foul on the play.
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 | 11:05 p.m.
Through the first half of the season, UNLV built its reputation on defense. And it worked, as the Scarlet and Gray started 10-0 and just scored a big win over a ranked team at New Mexico.
Opponents couldn’t seem to figure out their chaotic, high-pressure system that swarmed ball-handlers and forced turnovers by the dozen.
On Saturday, Boise State may have laid out the blueprint.
The visiting Broncos used dribble penetration and quick interior passing to create wide-open shots all night, and, most importantly, they made most of them. It led to an avalanche of points, as Boise State scored 53 in the second half on its way to an 84-66 dismantling of UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV led at the half, 33-31, but Boise opened the second half with a 14-2 run to take control. The Broncos made 12 of their first 14 shots to open a 15-point lead, and UNLV simply couldn’t keep up.
Boise State made 31-of-55 from the field (56.4%) on the night and racked up 17 assists.
“They did a really good job of continuing to share the ball,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said. “They’re a great passing team. They share the ball extremely well. They find the open teammate every time.”
Forward Tyson Degenhart and guard Chibuzo Agbo were the main beneficiaries of Boise State’s ball movement, as they each notched 17 points on a combined 14-of-19 from the field.
It all started with dribble penetration, as UNLV’s perimeter defenders could not consistently stay in front of their counterparts. That forced help defense, and Boise was well-versed in beating that with quick passes.
Senior guard Jordan McCabe said UNLV’s miscues made it easy for the Broncos to generate open shot after open shot.
“We gave up straight-line drives,” McCabe said. “I feel like that was a big turn for them. I get beat straight line; it’s unacceptable. You open up, and it doesn’t matter if somebody is quick or not, they’re going to be able to take that angle and make plays.”
Five Boise State players finished in double figures.
At the other end of the floor, UNLV’s offensive attack cratered. Top scorer E.J. Harkless managed just 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting, and the Scarlet and Gray only made 6-of-19 from 3-point range.
Keshon Gilbert led UNLV with 14 points and four assists, while Justin Webster chipped in 13 points.
UNLV is now 12-4 on the season and a disappointing 1-3 in the Mountain West.
The Scarlet and Gray have built their identity around Kruger’s defensive philosophy, so don’t expect any major changes. They’ve just got to execute better than they did against Boise State; the Broncos scored 1.23 points per possession, the highest rate UNLV has allowed all year.
“I think they did a good job of getting in the paint and creating for each other,” Kruger said. “When you play a team that passes as well as they do, you’ve got to do everything you can to keep them out of the paint.”
UNLV will try to get its defense back on track on Saturday, when Colorado State visits the Mack.
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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