Elijah Mitrou-Long
71
Purdue Fort Wayne Pur-FW 0-1,0-0 Summit League
86
Winner UNLV UNLV 1-0,0-0 Mountain West
Purdue Fort Wayne Pur-FW
0-1,0-0 Summit League
71
Final
86
UNLV UNLV
1-0,0-0 Mountain West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Purdue Fort Wayne Pur-FW 23 48 71
UNLV UNLV 39 47 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Runnin' Rebels Win Season Opener In Otzelberger's Debut

All five UNLV men's basketball starters score in double figures in 86-71 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne at the Thomas & Mack Center Tuesday night.

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - All five UNLV men's basketball starters scored in double figures as the Runnin' Rebels (1-0) won their season opener in head coach T.J. Otzelberger's debut, 86-71, over Purdue Fort Wayne at the Thomas & Mack Center Tuesday night.

The Runnin' Rebels were led by junior forward Mbacke Diong's double-double of 17 points and 17 rebounds, which are both career highs. Junior guard Jonah Antonio also scored 17 points as he shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Junior forward Donnie Tillman (16), junior guard Amauri Hardy (15) and senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long (11) also scored in double digits.

The Mastodons (0-1) were led by Jarred Godfrey's 24 points. He was 10 of 17 from the field.



THE TURNING POINT: UNLV ended the half on a 25-6 run, including a stretch where Purdue Fort Wayne was held scoreless for 11 minutes. The Runnin' Rebels led 39-23 at the break.

STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV held Purdue Fort Wayne to just seven percent shooting from 3-point range in the first half (1 of 14).

QUOTABLE: "I was pleased with how our guys came out prepared for this game. We established in that first half who we can be defensively when we pressure the basketball, when we really guard and contest the 3-point line, and we do a great job on the glass. We had a couple of spectacular performances and was just an overall good team win." - Otzelberger



NOTES: 
- UNLV out-rebounded Purdue Fort Wayne 43-19.
- UNLV shot 60 percent from the field in the first half (15 of 25) and ended up 51.9 percent for the game (28 of 54).
- UNLV led by as many as 21 points (3:55 in the second half).
- There were six lead changes and two ties.
- UNLV led 11-0 in second-chance points.
- Including the exhibition game, Antonio has shot 12 of 20 on 3-pointers as a Runnin' Rebel (60 percent).
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,071 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will conclude its season-opening two-game homestand vs. defending Big 12 champion Kansas State on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets may be purchased online at UNLVtickets.com, on the phone at 702-739-FANS and at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.


 
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