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StumbleLIVE GAME BLOG — Final:
Rebels continue late-season roll, slam Falcons, 77-47
Stanback’s career-high 21 points pace UNLV, who improves to 22-7 overall, 10-5 in MWC
Published Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 | 11:47 a.m.
Updated Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 | 2:23 p.m.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Chace Stanback scored a career-high 21 points for UNLV, who never had to sweat on Saturday afternoon at Air Force, rolling to its third consecutive win in 77-47 fashion.
The Rebels used a 17-0 run in the first half after leading 9-7 to create the ultimate separation, and went into the half up 38-19.
Oscar Bellfield caught fire early in the second half for the Rebels, who are now 22-7 overall and 10-5 in Mountain West play.
Bellfield had 12, while Kendall Wallace torched Air Force yet again with 15 points off of 5-of-8 3-point shooting.
UNLV was 30-of-51 from the floor and out-rebounded Air Force 31-18.
The Rebels are now off for a week before wrapping up the regular season next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Wyoming.
Stay tuned to lasvegassun.com/rebels for full postgame coverage.
6:19, second half, UNLV leads 66-36
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Sorry for the delay in updates, but in all honesty, you haven't missed a whole lot.
After using a 17-0 run in the first half to create big-time separation, UNLV has cruised, currently leading Air Force 66-36 with just over six minutes to play at Clune Arena.
This is the first time in the last five meetings between these two teams in which either team has scored over 60 points.
UNLV is 25-of-42 from the floor and has hit 12 3-pointers, led by four apiece from Kendall Wallace and Oscar Bellfield. Meanwhile, Chace Stanback has three of them and has scored a career-high 21 points to this point.
Air Force has looked flustered all day, and the overall dominance shows best in the rebounding category, as the Rebels lead 26-12.
13:56, first half, UNLV leads 12-7
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — UNLV fell behind 3-2 in the opening minute at Air Force, and since then has been in firm control of the Falcons on both ends.
Chace Stanback and Tre'Von Willis have five points each, while Willis assisted on a dunk by Anthony Marshall off of one of the Falcons' two turnovers so far, and the Rebels lead 12-7 at Clune Arena.
UNLV is controlling the tempo of this one so far, pressing up on Air Force on the defensive end and creating easy buckets in the process.
Pregame
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Welcome to Clune Arena, where so far, with about 50 minutes to go before tip-off, there's no sign of the guy in the student section shaking his junk in a Speedo.
Yes, that existed a year ago.
Actually, there's no one here yet, really, and expect an atmosphere today similar to what the Rebels see in Fort Worth at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum — sparse.
It's the same story today as it was in the last two games — Rebels have to win. No questions asked. Blah blah blah.
That said, lets just jump into today's three keys to UNLV victory.
1) A fast start. Plain and simple. It's not necessarily the Rebels' specialty, but they've made it that in their last two games. And what was the result? Two blowout wins by a combined margin of 47 points. It's all going to stem from how UNLV gets going early on the defensive end.
2) Kendall Wallace needs to get going off of the bench. In his career, he's made a habit of absolutely killing Air Force. In a slow game here last year, he blew things open with five treys and led the Rebels to a 21-point win. Earlier this season, as UNLV was down in the second half at home to Air Force, he hit four threes and again created scoreboard separation. Look, the guy has a role on this team, and it's simple — hit threes. He does it against Air Force better than against anyone else. The Rebels need that today.
3) Don't get distracted by half-naked dudes in Speedos during free throws ... That's actually pretty self-explanatory.
As for a prediction and today's 'Pick to Click', I'm taking UNLV in another tight one, 62-52. I'm going with Kendall Wallace as my guy to go off. If recent history tells us anything, it's pretty much a no-brainer.
Talk to you after tip-off.
Discussion: 24 comments so far…
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Those 3 loses might have been a blessing in disguise. I thought this team was peaking in early January, but I would much rather have them playing this way now. Just imagine when we have Shaw and Jasper back in time for the MWC and NCAA tourney!!! Lets go Rebels!
Having to work instead of watching this... FTL! Better win!
Today says everything about the MTN Network. How is the BYU vs. NM game not on TV? This kills recruiting and national exposure. Pure comedy!
Nevermind it is on Versus but if you have DTV then your SOL!
Another victory by 30 or more points. Wow!
Well done boys, the defense has looked great the last 3 games making for big margin victories. One more left before MWC tourney finish strong!
Ksiffer, you forget how much we missed Jasper in the NM, Utah, and San Diego games. Its easy to say we don't need them when we are winning.
Rebounds! Great game rebs, lets knock down Wyoming This next weekend and white the place out!!!!!
Nm wins vs BYU, this conference has 4 bigs waiting to get into the tourney with a few hiccups by UK and Kansas!!!
GO RUNNING REBELS!!!
I think KU and UK losing has little to no effect on the MWC outlook. They are both locks to be #1 seeds in the dance. Hopefully there won't be any cinderellas winning major conference tournaments to take away a bid for the MWC.
Also, Devgpaul is right and KSiff is wrong. Having Jasper and Shaw back will be great additions when the Rebs play the MWC teams they have problems with in the tourney.
Yeah I agree, Devgpaul.
Right now it's easy to say our offense is more potent without Jasper and Shaw but it certainly hurt how we matched up against NM, SDSU, and Utah.
Hopefully we'll play CSU in the first round!
yeah, I'm watching the Utah game right now and for the first time I rooting for Utah, so they can get the 5 seed. Let SD deal with them in the tourney!
Great work but this is a truly over-matched Falcon team. Love the hustle and effort for the better part of 60 minutes. Some of our losses have missed hustle and effort for a full 60 minutes. If we lose, let's at least lose with our best effort on display for the majority of the game.
I love my Rebels!
We did what we were supposed to do, win by 30. I'll be impressed when we win our tournament.
Lobo's beating BYU is bigger than the Utah game. BYU will be on our side of the bracket instead of NM and SD St., who we struggle against. If we get swept 3 games by Utah, we shouldn't go to the big dance. I hope Utah loses so we can get a little revenge.
Dev, don't be scared of sorry Utah, they're not Kentucky. Give me a break.
Yeah congrats everyone celebrate the Rebels have beaten 3 of the worst teams in the country with a 4th one coming up (Wyoming). The Rebels are back, lol!
most road wins since 90-91..... I like it
I actually want to see Utah in the MWC tourney so the rebs can crush them. I promise you they will destroy the utes if they play them in the MWC tourney. There is no way the utes beat them 3x if they actually end up playing. As a player I would want Utah 1st. You cannot be afraid to play anybody, step on the court & act like you belong!
Good job rebs now keep it rolling....
I thought canes4life was suffin in disguise. but i can't understand why he is here? His canes are a regular in the acc basement. and i mean that both in football and basketball. here's to baseball for canes4life. they have a chance. Anytime you are up by 30 in 3 games in a row, you are playing good ball. Kentucky will lose in second round with their inexperience. Interested in the mwc tourney.
I'm glad to see some people looking forward to a possible rematch with Utah. It was kind of disparaging to hear people hoping for a particular seed so UNLV wouldn't face Utah. I agree with patticcus, if UNLV loses to Utah for the 3rd time this season, they don't really deserve a tournament birth.
Canes4life, Congrats on your Hurricanes losing today to North Carolina State which has a worse RPI than Colorado State. 4-10 in the ACC, now that's something to be proud of.
With Marshall playing well I look for him to stay in the starting lineup even when Jasper returns. This will allow Jasper to give Chace a rest instead of Chop. I think Chops minutes will be very limited once Shaw and Jasper return, 2-3 versus the 6-8 he gets in normal games, not mop up duty. The Jasper injury has been great for AM to get comfortable. Glad we get BYU in the the Semis if we get there and New Mexico in the finals if thats how it plays out because New Mexico is not deep and their starters play alot of min which is a disatvatage for 3 games in 3 days.
Keep up with the presure D without fouling. It gets the guys playing with more intensity but you have to make shots to get into that press. Catch 22!
@ Patticcus,
We have proven that we can beat both UNM and SDSU. Utah swept us. I'm worried losing in the first round. If we do that, the selection committee has a reason to give the MWC it's usual two slots in the big dance, and we get sent to the NIT.
That being said, we should be able to win the Tourney no matter who we play. I think we can beat anyone when we play our best and dictate the tempo, and REBOUND. I'm excited for March, I can feel it in the air! GO REBS!
Chace should get MWC player of the week. That would be huge for his confidence that he already has going.
Just for clarification: I will speak for myself, but I agree with Patticcus, not in the sense that UNLV's body of work in the regular season doesn't warrant an NCAA birth, but in a more figurative sense that if fans are scared to play a sub .500 team, than what's that say about the team in general?
The comments not directed at anyone, but the beginning of Devgpaul's made me want to clarify my own standpoint.
Patticus has it right!
- Mark Szczygiel