Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Rebels blow late lead at Cal, fall in OT

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Steve Marcus

UNLV Runnin’ Rebels head coach T. J. Otzelberger calls out to players as the Rebels take on the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons at the Thomas & Mack Center Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

UNLV might have a closing problem.

For the second straight game, the Rebels could not protect a late lead. For the second straight game, the Rebels had a chance to win at the end of regulation but came up empty. And for the second straight game, the Rebels were outpaced in overtime, this time dropping a 79-75 decision at Cal on Tuesday.

T.J. Otzelberger's offense was humming for the first 34 minutes, as UNLV shot 55.3% and built a 65-56 lead with 5:58 to play. Amauri Hardy and Donnie Tillman led the charge, taking turns slicing through a very soft Cal defense for a parade of driving layups that added up to 32 combined points.

Then it fell apart. The Rebels connected on just 1-of-8 shots over the final 5:58, with five turnovers thrown in. As evidence that UNLV couldn't create an open look, four of the final eight shot attempts in regulation were blocked by Cal defenders.

That gave the Golden Bears a chance to catch up, and when guard Matt Bradley drained two free throws with 33 seconds to play, UNLV's big lead was officially gone.

Tied at 67-67, the Rebels put the ball in Hardy's hands for the final possession. The junior guard excelled in 1-on-1 situations against Kansas State, but his driving attempt was blocked at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

After being swallowed up by the defense (without a whistle), much like he was at the end of overtime on a failed drive against Kansas State, Hardy said it might be time to reconsider his strategy in final-possession situations.

"I was thinking just get a bucket," Hardy said. "I don't know. It was kind of like I put the game in the ref's hands, because I was driving down there, guys fouling me, and that was one of those things, I should have known to just get in there and kick the ball out. Maybe we would have had an open 3 because they were collapsing real hard on me. That's something going forward I'm going to pay more attention to."

The energized Cal squad scored the first five points of the extra period before senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long gave the Rebels a spark. Driving into the lane on five straight possessions, Mitrou-Long converted three layups and earned a trip to the free-throw line, making both. Those were UNLV's only eight points of OT.

Bradley made 1-of-2 free throws to put Cal up, 77-75 with 10 seconds left, and UNLV went with the hot hand on the final play. Mitrou-Long drove again and appeared to get past his man, but a help defender stripped him as he went up for a potential game-tying layup. Cal got control of the loose ball and made two free throws with one second left to ice the game.

Despite two tight losses in a row, Otzelberger said he has faith in his team, especially Hardy and Mitrou-Long, to close out games.

"The games aren't won and lost on those last possessions," Otzelberger said. "I know that's what everyone is going to point to. I think we just need to be intentional in maintaining our focus. We've got veteran guards out there that I trust. We'e going to keep putting the ball in their hands late to make the right play for our team."

Bradley led Cal with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting. For the game, the Golden Bears shot 50.9%.

Tillman's 17 points and eight rebounds paced UNLV. Mitrou-Long finished with 16 points, while Hardy tallied 15.

UNLV is now 1-2 on the season. It's a far cry from what could have been—a 3-0 record, with two wins over power-conference teams and a trip to UCLA set for Friday—and it's because the team has been unable to close.

Mitrou-Long said the Rebels let Tuesday's game slip away, but expressed confidence that the team will be better for the experience.

"Good teams figure out a way to win those games," Mitrou-Long said. "It doesn't matter, whatever the refs are calling or however the game is going, we have to pull through and we have to get that W."

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

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