Feb. 22, 2005
Final Stats
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Odartey Blankson had 31 points and 12 rebounds as UNLV held on to win a season-high fourth straight game with an 81-79 victory over Colorado State Monday night.
Blankson was 11-for-20 shooting and came within two points of matching a career high in scoring. Romel Beck added 17 points for UNLV (13-11, 5-6 Mountain West Conference).
Matt Nelson led Colorado State (10-15 2-10) which lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Sean Morris, who had 31 points in the teams' first meeting, had 19 points, but missed a chance to tie the game in the final 21 seconds.
Blankson scored six and Michael Umeh, had 14 points, as UNLV turned a six-point deficit into a 60-51 lead with 11:15 remaining.
The Rams rallied as Nelson tied it at 64-64 with a basket and free throw.
UNLV picked up its interior defense on one end and Blankson scored on an inside move and 3-pointer to put the Rebels ahead 77-69 only to have Colorado State get within 79-76 after Jason Smith's basket with 58 seconds left. The Rams had two chances to tie it after two UNLV turnovers, but Nelson lost the ball and Morris later missed a 3-pointer with 21 seconds left.
Umeh and Jerel Blassingame sealed the game with a free throw each.
Colorado State led by as much as 13 points, but had its lead cut to 37-31 by halftime as Blankson scored four points in the last minute and 48 seconds.
