UNLV Rebels guard Justin Webster (2) celebrates after sinking a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA basketball game against the Hawaii Warriors at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022.
Published Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 | 8:56 p.m.
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UNLV stuck to its blueprint of tough defense and just enough offense, and it was enough to log a fairly nondescript win over Hawaii, 77-62.
Luis Rodriguez led the way with 18 points, while Keshon Gilbert tallied 13 points, four assists and three steals.
Hawaii made a game of it in the second half, closing within single digits midway through the period, but Rodriguez caught fire to restore the lead.
The senior wing made back-to-back 3-pointers to put UNLV up by 11 points with seven minutes left, and two possessions later he came up with a steal in the backcourt and went in for a two-handed dunk to make it a 65-51 game.
The Scarlet and Gray held Hawaii to 35.5% from the field while forcing their customary 18 turnovers.
UNLV is now 9-0, with a key showdown against Washington State set for Saturday afternoon.
UNLV basketball leads Hawaii, 49-36
The second half has gotten off to a rocky start, much like the first few minutes of the game. But UNLV continues to grind out possessions, and with 11:51 remaining Kevin Kruger's squad has a 49-36 lead.
UNLV is just 3-of-13 from the field since halftime, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, but Hawaii just hasn't been able to capitalize.
Keshon Gilbert and Justin Webster have nine points apiece to pace the Scarlet and Gray.
Hawaii is being led by big man Kamaka Hepa, who has 10 points and five rebounds.
Webster will shoot a 1-and-1 after the timeout to try and extend the UNLV lead.
UNLV closes first half strong to take 41-22 lead over Hawaii
UNLV closed the half strong, using strong defense to take a commanding 41-22 lead over Hawaii at the break.
Hawaii only scored four points over the final six minutes, allowing the Scarlet and Gray to go on a 17-4 run to bust this one open.
Luis Rodriguez is leading the way with eight points, while Keshon Gilbert has seven points and three assists.
As a team, UNLV is shooting just 37.5% from the field, but Kevin Kruger's squad is once again leaning on its defense. Hawaii has made only 27.6% of its shots, and UNLV has harassed the Warriors into nine turnovers. The Scarlet and Gray have a 12-1 advantage in points off turnovers.
UNLV opens early lead over Hawaii
Shots are starting to drop after a choppy start, and with 12:00 left in the first half, UNLV has built a 16-8 lead over Hawaii.
Keshon Gilbert, Jackie Johnson and Justin Webster have all hit 3-pointers in the last four minutes to give the Scarlet and Gray a boost. On defense, they have forced six Hawaii turnovers.
In related UNLV sports news, new football coach Barry Odom is in the house at the Dollar Loan Center. Odom was introduced at a press conference earlier today and appears to be taking in some hoops action with his two sons.
Can UNLV basketball make it 9-0 vs. Hawaii?
UNLV basketball is wading into uncharted territory on Wednesday, when the Scarlet and Gray will face Hawaii in the program’s first ever game in Henderson (7 p.m., YouTube).
Will the Dollar Loan Center prove to be a hospitable atmosphere for UNLV as the team pursues its ninth straight win to open the season? Three keys to watch:
Containing Coleman
If there’s one thing UNLV does, it’s defend in the backcourt. And team’s stable of perimeter defenders figure to get a workout Wednesday in the form of Hawaii point guard Noel Coleman.
Coleman is the Warriors’ leading scorer at 17.4 points, and he’s also their leading assist man at 3.0 per game. The junior makes 38.8% of his 3-pointers and gets into the lane at a steady clip, converting 54.1% inside the arc.
Look for designated on-ball ace Eli Parquet to draw the initial assignment on Coleman, with E.J. Harkless and Keshon Gilbert also rotating onto him throughout the game.
If they can combine to contain Coleman — and they’ve done a good job of containing all opponents so far this year — that will go a long way toward securing another win for the Scarlet and Gray.
Lou-Rod is hot
The backcourt of Gilbert and Harkless has handled most of the scoring this season, but UNLV is also getting strong production out of senior forward Luis Rodriguez.
Rodriguez never averaged more than 7.6 points per game in his four years at Mississippi, but he has topped double figures in each of the last four games against D-I competition and is now averaging 11.9 points for the season. That includes the career-high 19 points he put up against San Diego on Saturday.
The 6-foot-6 wing is doing most of his damage in transition and in the paint, as he has converted 61.7% of his 2-point shots. And that’s in addition to his stalwart defense.
Rodriguez has been a key to UNLV’s 8-0 start, and after practice on Tuesday he said he and his teammates are committed to keeping it going.
“We know how good we can be and where we’re trying to get to,” Rodriguez said. “We see now that we’re winning and we’re making noise and there’s buzz around us. There’s all these rankings and stuff going around. We’re just trying to stay level-headed.”
Home away from home
By virtue of playing two Big West tournament games at the Dollar Loan Center last season, Hawaii actually has more experience in the venue than UNLV.
The Scarlet and Gray did get in one practice at the arena, which opened in March, and the players seem confident they’ll be able to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings.
“The arena is nice,” Rodriguez said. “I’m excited.”
If all goes well on Wednesday, this could become an annual thing for UNLV. Kruger said the team is hoping to establish one non-Mack venue to host them every year in December when the NFR pushes them out of their home arena, and pointed to the Henderson venue as an obvious option.
“We’re hoping for something that can potentially become a tradition,” Kruger said. “If it’s Dollar Loan, that would be great.”
Who: UNLV (8-0) vs. Hawaii (5-2)
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Dollar Loan Center
TV: YouTube
UNLV leaders
Scoring: Keshon Gilbert — 14.6 points
Rebounding: David Muoka— 6.4 rebounds
Assists: Keshon Gilbert — 3.8 assists
Hawaii leaders
Scoring: Noel Coleman — 17.4 points
Rebounding: Bernardo Da Silva — 8.1 rebounds
Assists: Noel Coleman — 3.0 assists
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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