For the second straight game the Rebels were given a scare by their opponent after holding a huge lead in the first half. This time the scare came from Northern Arizona as UNLV’s 22 point lead early in the second half dwindled to 8 with a little over 26 seconds to go in the game. Unfortunately for the lumberjacks they had to deal with the presence of Joe Darger, the third best free throw shooter in the Mountain West (Darger is shooting 86% from the line) as the Rebels were able to hold off and win 83-74.Coming off a huge pick up win on Saturday over UTEP, the UNLV was looking to carry that momentum on the road. Led by Wink Adams who finally found his shooting touch the Rebels were able to muster a 45-28 lead. Using their pressure defense the Rebels forced turnovers and bad shots by the Lumberjacks who were unable to get any good looks at the basket. The second half however was a bit different.After being frustrated in the first half, the Lumberjacks were able to get into the paint mustering 22 points in the second half from the block. The Lumberjacks also held UNLV without a field goal for the final 6:33 of the game. This contributed to the Rebels being outscored in the second half for the the third time this season. Two of those times UNLV has been defeated.
UNLV held on thanks to excellent free throw shooting as junior Joe Darger, sophomore Matt Shaw, and Adams would convert crucial free throws as the game wound down. Adams however stole the show notching 16 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Adams, the lone returning starter from last year’s squad, has struggled to find his shooting mark this season. Yet Wednesday we would finish 5-8 from the field. Senior Curtis Terry would once again prove his off-season work has paid dividends also tallying 16 points along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Rebels also debuted freshman point guard Kendall Wallace who had been sidelined with a stress fracture since training camp. Wallace would play 12 minutes and notch nine points, four of which came on a four-point play on his first shot.
UNLV will host Fresno State this Saturday at the Orleans Arena at 7pm. The game was moved due to the Rodeo occupying the Thomas & Mack. Currently the Rebels are 6-2 and sit in fourth place in the Mountain West.
Northern Arizona’s Josh Wilson brings the ball up as UNLV’s Marcus Lawrence defends during the Rebels’ win Wednesday in Flagstaff, Ariz.
*Photo Courtesy of the Las Vegas Review Journal.
