Jan 11, 2003

Box Score

By NANCY ARMOUR
AP Sports Writer

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Marcus Banks scored 19 points, including six free throws in the final minute, and Dalron Johnson added 18 Saturday as UNLV won 75-70, handing DePaul its first home loss of the season.

It was the fifth straight victory for the Rebels, who are off to their best start since the 1996-97 squad also began the season 11-2. UNLV's only two losses were to teams that were ranked at the time.

Banks also had seven assists and seven rebounds for the Rebels. Demetrius Hunter added 14, including 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

The Blue Demons (8-4) were done in by turnovers and 10 missed free throws. They had 19 turnovers, including six in the first four minutes of the second half when UNLV went on a decisive 11-2 run.

Drake Diener and Andre Brown each had 20 to lead the Blue Demons (8-4), and Brown also had a team-high 11 rebounds.

The Rebels had a sloppy first half, shooting just 42 percent and turning the ball over nine times. But led by their defense, they got on a hot streak to start the second.

On the first possession, Banks stole the ball from Diener and took it in for an easy layup. Jermaine Lewis had another steal, and Johnson scored on a jumper.

After yet another steal, Johnson dunked and UNLV suddenly found itself with a 43-40 lead. The Rebels kept it up, reeling off an 11-2 run that gave them a 48-32 lead with 15:58 to play.

But the Rebels couldn't keep up the pace, going almost six minutes without a field goal midway through the half. DePaul took advantage, as Brown scored six points during a 16-4 run that pulled the Blue Demons within 66-61 with 2:24 left - the closest they'd been since late in the first half.

Brown's layup with 1:03 left cut it to 67-63, but DePaul was forced to foul and the Rebels hit kept hitting their shots. Banks made six of eight, and Hunter made a pair to seal the victory.

It was an ugly first half, with the teams combining for 19 turnovers and 20 fouls. Both had trouble shooting the ball, too. UNLV made just four of its first 16 shots, and DePaul was just 10-of-27, with several misses came on what should have been easy layups.

With their shooting woes, neither could get control of the game. Finally, with 4:48 left in the first half, Lewis made a 3-pointer that started a 12-6 run that gave UNLV a 34-26 lead.

With less than seven seconds left, Pearson hit a 3 that put UNLV up 37-27. But Diener hit a 3 at the buzzer, cutting the Rebels lead to 37-30 at halftime.