Blog: Wolf Pack make it 3 in a row against UNLV with 64-62 win at the Mack

By Taylor Bern

Published Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 | 7 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 | 10:22 p.m.

UNR 64, UNLV 62

Game over

Marqueze Coleman hit a long jumper in the final 10 seconds to send UNR to its third straight victory against UNLV, dropping the Rebels to 0-2 in Mountain West play with a 64-62 loss tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center.

UNLV used a barrage of 3s to build a six-point lead with a little more than five minutes left and then the offense got stagnant as UNR continued to fight and scrap. Overall the Wolf Pack were the more consistent team in effort and execution, especially AJ West, who finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Despite giving up a lot of length West kept putting himself into the right position and making plays.

Rashad Vaughn scored 20 and Chris Wood finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, but the team shot 33.9 percent for the game and went scoreless for a long stretch during the game's critical moments.

The Rebels (9-6, 0-2) had conference title aspirations and while the race will ebb and flow enough to get them back into the mix, this is the type of game you can't lose if you're going to ultimately win the trophy.

Check lasvegassun.com later tonight for a full report from the Rebels' defeat.

The Rebels are favored by 10 tonight against in-state rival UNR, but until about the final minute I wouldn’t feel safe with even a 10-point lead if I was UNLV. The Wolf Pack swept the season series last year by overcoming double-digit deficits in both games, including a 17-point margin in the second half of the regular-season finale.

Obviously this is a different UNR (5-8, 1-0) after the graduation of Deonte Burton, but the Rebels (9-5, 0-1) should still feel worried enough to keep pushing even if they get a big lead. Against the Wolf Pack or not, that’s something that would be a positive sign out of a team that’s coming down from the adrenaline of bigger games and has a history of bad starts in the second half.

Tonight’s game tips off at 8 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center and will air on CBS Sports Network.

Underestimating opponents in league play is something that I think has come up as an issue for Rebels teams throughout coach Dave Rice’s tenure. It’s generally not as big of an issue at home but this is still an opportunity to come out and set a different kind of tone for this year’s group.

There are going to be ups and downs throughout Mountain West play, including a head-scratching loss or two on the road, and that’s why it’s more important to win (and when you can win easily) at home. This is one of those games where a determined and consistent effort from UNLV is going to result in a large victory, but if they play unfocused — don’t box out, turnovers, transition defense, etc. — then it could end up being too close for comfort.

This week — tonight plus Saturday’s home game against San Jose State (2-12, 0-2) — is as easy as the weekly schedule gets on paper. Handling their business in relatively easy fashion would give the Rebels some confidence and momentum heading into back-to-back road games.

Bern’s prediction: The Rebels could make this interesting with some bad rebounding or a poor start to the second half, but I’ll go with the home team putting forth a mostly focused effort. UNLV 78, UNR 64

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.