Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Live blog: Rebels blown out at Utah State, 82-65

UNLV-Utah State

Eli Lucero / The Herald Journal via AP

UNLV forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong (34) has his shot blocked by Utah State center Neemias Queta (23) during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, in Logan, Utah.

Updated Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 | 4:26 p.m.

The Rebels are officially reeling after Utah State handed them their third consecutive blowout loss, 82-65.

After winning five of its first six conference games, UNLV suddenly finds itself 5-4 in the Mountain West and 11-10 overall.

Utah State shredded the UNLV defense, shooting 49.2 percent and 10-of-23 from 3-point range. Sam Merrill led the way, as the sharpshooter totaled 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Utah State center Neemias Queta also dominated, posting 10 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks.

Kris Clyburn and Amauri Hardy scored 14 apiece for UNLV, but the Rebels were never really in the game. Joel Ntambwe finished with 18 points.

The schedule doesn't get any easier over the next week for the Rebels. They'll head back on the road to take on Boise State on Wednesday, then return home to host Fresno State on Saturday.

Rebels trail by 17 at Utah State

UNLV is still struggling to get stops on the defensive end, and with 11:55 to play, Utah State has a 60-43 lead.

Sam Merrill has four points in the half on 2-of-2 shooting, bringing his scoring total to 16 points.

Marvin Menzies is throwing everything he has against the wall, including some extended playing time for freshmen Trey Woodbury and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua. Both players have already exceeded their minutes played from the first half, but the Rebels just can't seem to go on a run to cut into the Utah State lead.

Rebels trail by 20 at half at Utah State

The Utah State offense just spent 20 minutes putting the Rebels through a buzzsaw. The Aggies are shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from 3 and they lead UNLV, 48-28, at the half.

Sam Merrill is leading Utah State with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, but it has been a total team effort for the Aggies, as they have recorded 13 assists on 18 made field goals.

UNLV's defensive woes started in the post. Starting center Nick Blair picked up four fouls in nine minutes, and the Rebels have allowed USU to rack up 18 points in the paint.

Kris Clyburn has 11 points to lead the Rebels, but it was a very inefficient half for the UNLV offense (31.4 percent shooting). Things will have to improve drastically at both ends of the floor for the Rebels to have a chance of cutting into the Utah State lead in the second half.

Utah State takes 37-22 lead over UNLV

Utah State is on a 16-4 run, and with 4:22 left in the half, the Aggies have a 37-22 lead over UNLV.

Neemias Queta just blocked a Bryce Hamilton layup on one end, and Sam Merrill cashed in on the other end by burying a mid-range jumper over Hamilton's outstretched hand. Merrill has a game-high nine points, while Queta has six points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

UNLV has struggled to match up defensively, getting caught in bad switches and leaping at pump fakes with regularity. Utah State is shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 5-of-10 from beyond the 3-point line.

Utah State leads UNLV, 19-13

UNLV abandoned its super-small lineup after just two minutes, as Utah State big man Neemias Queta had his way with Nick Blair on the first few possessions. With 11:31 remaining in the half, Utah State leads, 19-13.

Kris Clyburn has a team-high six points for the Rebels, while Sam Merrill leads Utah State with seven points. Queta has four points, four rebounds and a block.

Rebels sticking with Nick Blair in starting lineup at Utah State

For the second straight game, UNLV will start junior walk-on Nick Blair at center.

The Rebels inserted Blair as a starter for the first time against UNR on Tuesday, and while it didn't work out in that game — UNLV's staring five was outscored, 28-15, in 10 minutes of court time — the coaches are sticking with the small alignment.

Blair will have his work cut out today, as Utah State is starting 6-foot-11 freshman Neemias Queta at center. Queta is averaging 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

Previewing UNLV basketball at Utah State with reader questions

Coming off back-to-back blowout losses, UNLV (11-9, 5-3 Mountain West) could really use a win. But snagging a victory at Utah State (16-5, 6-2) today will not be easy.

Let’s preview the game with reader questions:

@PeterSalisbury5

Talk about going bigger at the 2 by sitting Robo and starting Hamilton. Would help us match up better with Reno. Ham & Cly on the twins.

@MikeGrimala

I don’t think that’s going to happen this season. Noah Robotham is entrenched as a backcourt starter and he currently leads the team in minutes played, and Hamilton hasn’t earned consistent minutes in the coaches’ minds yet. I do agree with your premise that length on the wing is a huge need for the Rebels, but I think you’ll have to wait until next season before you see Hamilton in the starting five.

For the record, the Rebels played 1 minute and 43 seconds with Hamilton and Joel Ntambwe on the wings, Amauri Hardy at the point and Robotham on the bench. UNLV outscored UNR, 4-3, during that stretch.

@BParry19

What do you think UNLV’s record will be the next 3 games and how do they finish in conference?

@MikeGrimala

The Rebels have to win at least one. Starting Mountain West play with a 5-1 record was the best-case scenario, but I think even casual observers understood that those wins came against the bottom of the conference. Now that UNLV is playing a tough stretch against the league’s contenders, going 0-for-5 over the course of three weeks would be a loud and clear statement that this team is still a ways off from competing at the top of the Mountain West. Win one of the next three, come out of this with a 6-5 record and I think the fans (and players) can still buy into the idea that this squad can make a run in the MWC tourney.

@PedritoLV

How would you judge the development of Marvin Menzies’ players from year 1 to 2, 3 etc.? Overall and compared to previous coaches? Good trajectory?

@MikeGrimala

I don’t think Menzies has been in place long enough to make a sweeping judgment. He’s only had a handful of guys for more than one season, and each of those players have their own set of circumstances. Amauri Hardy has taken a big step forward and looks like a long-term building block. Mbacke Diong has improved immensely from his freshman to sophomore years. Tervell Beck has regressed. There aren’t a lot of other test cases. Menzies only had Brandon McCoy for one year. Shakur Juiston was pretty much a finished product when he arrived. Bryce Hamilton, Trey Woodbury, Joel Ntambwe and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua haven’t gone through a full season yet. Jay Green, Djordjije Sljivancanin and Ben Coupet are bottom-of-the-roster players. How Menzies develops the Hamilton/Woodbury/Ntambwe/Hardy/Diong core will probably determine whether the program is able to get back on track.

@MWCwire

What will it take for Vegas media to stop using UNR but actually Nevada?

@MikeGrimala

I can’t speak for other local publications, as each outlet is free to utilize its own internal style. The Sun uses “UNR” because it better serves our readership and limits confusion. It’s not an insult — it’s an abbreviation of a proper noun that provides more clarity for our readers. It’s not a slight at the university or its athletic programs.

Journalistic styles are always evolving, so I can’t rule anything out. And I can’t speak for the Sun’s editorial staff. But I don’t see a change coming in the near future.

@brainCarter

Talk to me about the worst “troll tweets” you or Ray had this week.

@MikeGrimala

I didn’t follow the Twitter conversation closely, as a lot of it seemed to unfold during the actual game. But I did read this column from a Reno-based website, and as a credible journalist, it bothered me. I thought it was a petty attack, and it’s a bad look for a journalist to take low blows at another media outlet due to style preferences. The Sun does not “bow to outside pressure,” I’m not a “fanboy” of UNLV (or any other college sports program) and UNLV has never attempted to influence our coverage in any way (nor would the Sun oblige, obviously). Suggesting otherwise, as the columnist did, was way out of bounds.

That being said, I understand where the column is coming from. It’s textbook fan service — a take that is guaranteed to garner 100-percent approval from his local readership. Nevada/UNR is king up there, and I suppose Nevada Sports Net (or UNR Sports Net, if you will) has to carry the water from time to time.

@BrianRich78

As a professional journalist, are you going to follow AP style?

@MikeGrimala

It’s the AP Style GUIDE, not the AP Style FOLLOW THESE RULES EXACTLY OR WE WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. (It’s actually the AP Style BOOK, but that ruins the joke.)

Different publications have internal styles that may differ slightly from the Associated Press. I’m from Massachusetts. The town where the New England Patriots play is Foxborough, Mass. Except some newspapers call it Foxboro. Others stick with Foxborough. Styles differ. It’s not a big deal as long as it’s consistent. The Sun’s internal style is to refer to the University of Nevada’s sports programs as UNR. It’s an abbreviation. Relax.

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

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