LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team (0-1) lost its season opener against Montana State, 91-78, Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Bobcats (1-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Xavier Bishop's 22 points on 6 of 9 shooting and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line.
The Runnin' Rebels also had three in double figures, with junior guard Bryce Hamilton leading all scorers with a game-high 27 points.
THE TURNING POINT: Montana State used a 26-8 run to take a 17-point lead at 35-18 with 4:41 left in the first half. The Bobcats led 49-31 at the break.
STAT OF THE GAME: Montana State shot 62.1 percent from the field in the first half (18 of 29), while UNLV made just 33.3 percent (10 of 30).
QUOTABLE: "Obviously not the outcome we would like to have. Our effort, energy and competitive spirit wasn't where it needed to be. We talked a lot about generating our own energy without fans and a crowd in the gym. We didn't do a great job of that tonight and it is something we are going to continue to work on and drive home because we have to be a lot better than we were from an effort and competitive standpoint from start to finish." - UNLV head coach T.J. Otzelberger
NOTES:
- The game was played without any fans in attendance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Freshman guard Nick Blake scored 16 points in his collegiate debut on 5 of 7 from the field, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.
- Hamilton made a game-high 10 shots and grabbed a game-high-tying eight rebounds. He also dished out a career-high-tying four assists. It was the 11th time he has scored 20 or more points in his career.
-
Caleb Grill scored a career-high 13 points.
- UNLV started the game 0 of 8 on 3-pointers.
- UNLV shot 60.0 percent from the field in the second half (15 of 25) and 61.5 percent on 3-pointers (8 of 13).
- Montana State finished the game shooting 55.6 percent from the field (30 of 54) and from 3-point range 10 of 18).
- Montana State led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
- The Bobcats outscored UNLV in points in the paint 38-18.
- Montana State improved to 2-1 all-time vs. UNLV.
- UNLV fell to 49-14 all-time in season openers and 41-8 when opening the season at home.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,103 straight games.
NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will travel to Asheville, North Carolina, to compete in the Maui Invitational, which has been moved to the mainland because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Runnin' Rebels' first game is scheduled for Monday, November 30 vs. No. 16 North Carolina at 4 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on ESPN2, while the radio broadcast may be heard on ESPN 1100 Las Vegas.
