Game day: San Diego State overpowers UNLV, 72-61

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Published Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 | 2 a.m.

Updated Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 | 3:21 p.m.

San Diego State is for real, that's for sure. The Aztecs proved it to UNLV on Saturday, out-muscling the visitors for a 72-61 victory in front of a crazed sellout crowd at Viejas Arena.

The opening minutes told the story, as SDSU ran out to an 18-5 lead while holding UNLV to 2-of-14 shooting out of the gate. The Scarlet and Gray climbed back and made a game of it for most of the second half, but San Diego State was too physical around the basket and too tough on defense. Center Jaedon LeDee led all scorers with 20 points.

UNLV is now 0-1 in Mountain West play and 5-6 on the season, and they may have lost starting forward Jalen Hill for the foreseeable future, as the senior appeared to suffer a serious knee injury toward the end of the first half.

Freshman guard D.J. Thomas led UNLV with 13 points and five assists, while Luis Rodriguez totaled 13 points and five rebounds.

The Scarlet and Gray will look for their first conference win when they host New Mexico on Tuesday. 

San Diego State leads UNLV late

UNLV may have just expelled its last gasp, and with 3:06 to play San Diego State holds a 66-55 lead.

There was a chance to make things interesting on the last possession, as D.J. Thomas stepped into an open catch-and-shoot 3 from the top of the key, but the freshman came up short. San Diego State's Jay Pal grabbed the rebound and was fouled in the process. As that was UNLV's 10th foul, Pal will shoot a pair of free throws after the timeout.

Had Thomas's shot gone in, UNLV would be within eight with enough time to keep fighting. Instead the Aztecs can extend their double-digit advantage from the free-throw line.

Thomas has carried the offense in the second half, and he's up to a team-high 13 points, but that miss may have sealed UNLV's fate.

UNLV trying to mount comeback at San Diego State

UNLV is expending a lot of energy, but they've barely put a dent in their halftime deficit. With 11:24 remaining, San Diego State still maintains a 49-40 lead.

Luis Rodriguez and Jackie Johnson have been putting in work on the defensive end, forcing back-to-back shot-clock violations to help spur an 11-4 run for the visitors. That made it a two-possession game for a brief moment, but Aztecs guard Elijah Saunders ended that spurt by knocking down a 3 to make it a nine-point game again.

Some bad news for UNLV, as Jalen Hill is back on the bench but wearing a knee brace and using crutches to get around. He appears to have sustained a serious injury and may be out for a while.

UNLV down 10 at half against San Diego State

UNLV played better as the first half went on, and at the break Kevin Kruger's squad is still hanging around, trailing San Diego State, 35-25.

For a while it appeared as though this game would be a laugher for the full 40 minutes, but SDSU's initial intensity waned and the action settled down, allowing UNLV to get into its offense. Jalen Hill and Kalib Boone found room inside, combining to score 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Justin Webster banked in a 3-pointer in the final minutes of the half to help the cause.

At one point, UNLV had trimmed the deficit to seven points, but Kruger has to be ecstatic to only trail by 10 after the way the first 15 minutes unfolded.

Junior forward Rob Whaley played a big part in turning the tide, as he was the only player who had any success defending SDSU big man Jaedon LeDee. LeDee has a game-high 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but Whaley stonedwalled him all four times LeDee tried to iso him.

Now that UNLV has gotten back into the game, can they continue to close the gap after halftime? They'll certainly need to shoot the ball better (2-of-14 3FGs), but they've at least given themselves a chance.

Unfortunately, Hill hit the deck late in the half and went back to the locker room. We'll have to see what his status is for the second half.

UNLV digs big hole in first half at San Diego State

It's getting ugly for UNLV.

San Diego State's Micah Parrish just nailed a long 3-pointer from the wing to end a five-minute drought without a field goal for the Aztecs, then turned and screamed at the UNLV sideline as Kevin Kruger called timeout. With 8:16 left in the first half, SDSU now leads, 25-9.

UNLV is just 4-of-18 from the field with four turnovers, as San Diego State's pressure defense continues to create deflections and panicked offense.

Kruger needs to find a way to settle things down, because San Diego State isn't letting up.

San Diego State races to 15-3 lead over UNLV

Five minutes into this game, and one team looks like a national championship contender while the other looks like they went 5-5 in non-conference play.

San Diego State has raced out to a commanding 15-3 lead, dominating on both ends of the court while the crowd here goes wild. UNLV is just 1-of-7 from the field.

It's been a disjointed start for the Scarlet and Gray. On the first offensive possession, Justin Webster carelessly received a pass while stepping out of bounds. The next time down the floor, Luis Rodriguez drove into traffic and was stripped.

On the other end, UNLV simply has no answer for Jaedon LeDee. The SDSU center has bullied his way to seven early points on 3-of-3 shooting, while sending UNLV big man Kalib Boone to the bench with two personal fouls.

Can UNLV withstand this early run and work its way back into the game? 

Jalen Hill suited up at San Diego State

As expected, senior forward Jalen Hill is in uniform and appears to be active today for UNLV.

Hill suffered a broken hand on Nov. 28 and hasn't played since then, but he practiced in full for the first time on Thursday and declared himself 100 percent healed. Kevin Kruger did not say whether Hill would be available against San Diego State, but it looks like he's ready to go.

The starting lineup was just announced as D.J. Thomas, Justin Webster, Luis Rodriguez, Kalib Boone and Isaiah Cottrell, so we'll have to see if and when Hill comes off the bench. His physical presence in the frontcourt could prove useful against this San Diego State team.

UNLV basketball takes its shot at San Diego State

There is no easing into conference play this season: UNLV will open the Mountain West portion of its schedule at San Diego State on Saturday (1 p.m., CBS), facing off against last year’s national runners-up on their home court.

Might the Scarlet and Gray make a statement with a big road win? Three keys to watch:

The Aztecs reign

There’s no question, the Aztecs rule the Mountain West. San Diego State claimed last year’s regular-season title, won the conference tournament and advance to the Final Four. And this year’s edition appears to be picking up where that historic squad left off.

Led by senior forward Jaedon Ledee (21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds per game), SDSU is just as tough and physical as ever. The team ranks No. 17 in KenPom’s adjusted defense metric and sits at No. 21 in the overall rankings.

Even in a year where a breakout team like Colorado State finds itself on the fringes of the top 10, San Diego State is the team to beat.

Kevin Kruger put his charges through a bruising practice on Thursday, with an eye toward the gauntlet they’ll face at Viejas Arena.

After that session, Kruger didn’t downplay the challenge San Diego State will present.

“They’re going to be incredibly tough, they’re going to be incredibly physical, they’re going to be incredibly disciplined,” Kruger said. “They’re a great team.”

Hill returns

The Scarlet and Gray should be at full strength heading into the game, as senior forward Jalen Hill participated in Thursday’s practice and declared himself 100-percent recovered from the hand injury that has sidelined him since Nov. 28.

Hill started the first six games at power forward before getting hurt, but it remains to be seen what role he’ll fill as he works his way back into the rotation. While he was away, senior wing Keylan Boone became eligible and junior Shane Nowell returned from injury, so there are more bodies available to fill the frontcourt.

Hill said he’s willing to fit in and provide whatever the team requires.

“It felt great being back out there with the guys,” Hill said. “I think I can add a lot of physicality, rebounding, whatever we need. Whatever we’re lacking, I feel like I can add to that. We got out-rebounded a couple games; I feel like with me being back, I’m going to be physical and capitalize on things like that.”

Backcourt tandem

One of the surprises in non-conference play was the emergence of D.J. Thomas and Jackie Johnson as a dynamic duo.

The two smallest players on the team have combined to give UNLV some of its most efficient minutes, with Thomas running the show as the starting point guard and Johnson coming off the bench as an offensive sparkplug and defensive bulldog. They are also UNLV’s two best 3-point shooters, combining to hit 43.5% from deep.

How effective can they be against the stalwart defense of San Diego State? That could determine how competitive the game ends up being.

What: UNLV (5-5, 0-0 MWC) at San Diego State (12-2, 1-0 MWC)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Viejas Arena (San Diego)

TV: CBS

Radio: 1100 AM, 100.9 FM

UNLV leaders

Scoring

Luis Rodriguez: 12.5 points

Rebounds

Keylan Boone: 8.0 rebounds

Assists

D.J. Thomas: 6.3 assists

San Diego State leaders

Scoring

Jaedon Ledee: 21.5 points

Rebounds

Jaedon Ledee: 8.5 rebounds

Assists

Lamont Butler: 3.5 assists

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