Dec 29, 2003

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Odartey Blankson had 14 points and 13 rebounds Sunday in leading UNLV to a 73-55 victory over Bradley.

Bradley pulled within 10, 58-48, with six minutes to play, but UNLV (7-3) pulled away with a 17-7 rally to close the game.

The Braves (7-4) scored the first two points of the game before UNLV's Romel Beck hit a 3-pointer at the 19:01 mark to give the Rebels a lead they would never relinquish.

UNLV made five of eight 3-point attempts in the first half on the way to a 39-24 halftime lead.

Beck had 14 points for the Rebels, J.K. Edwards added 12 and Michael Umeh scored 10.

Bradley shot just 36 percent from the field and turned the ball over 22 times.

Marcellus Sommerville scored a game-high 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds for Bradley, while teammates Marcello Robinson and James Gillingham scored 10 apiece.