LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Sophomore guard Marvin' Coleman's shot high off the glass dropped in with 0.8 seconds left to give the UNLV men's basketball team a 68-67 win over Fresno State on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Junior guard Amauri Hardy scored a team-high 18 points, while sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton added 17 for his 12th straight game scoring in double figures for UNLV (12-13, 7-5). Senior forward Vitaliy Shibel was also in double figures as he tied his career high with 13 points.
Fresno State (8-16, 4-9) had three players in double-figure scoring, led by Orlando Robinson's game-high 24.
STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV only committed seven turnovers, a season low.
SLOW START: UNLV opened the game missing 12 of its first 13 shots and trailed by 12 points with 8:36 left in the first half, but a 13-0 run gave the Runnin' Rebels a one-point lead with 3:30 left to go until halftime. The game had eight lead changes and 12 ties from that point on.
QUOTABLE: "That felt like a backyard brawl more than a college basketball game. We came out and weren't at our best. I thought as the first half played on we got defensive stops which allowed us to get going in transition and get some energy going. In the second half, we had some spells offensively where we got stuck and weren't ourselves, and had to find a way to gut out a win. I'm proud of our guys for staying together and staying the course." - UNLV head coach T.J. Otzelberger
"I've made game-winning shots before. It never felt like that though. Playing for my hometown, at the Thomas & Mack, at home, hearing the crowd, with my teammates. It never felt that good." - Coleman
NOTES:
- It snapped a four-game UNLV losing streak.
- UNLV swept Fresno State during the regular season as it also defeated the Bulldogs by a point in Fresno on Dec. 4 in double-overtime.
- It was the second straight win by UNLV over Fresno State after having lost seven in a row to the Bulldogs.
- UNLV outrebounded Fresno State 36-32. It was the 19th game this season that the Runnin' Rebels recorded more rebounds than their opponent.
- Hardy and Shibel went a combined 7 of 11 on 3-pointers. Hardy was 4 of 8 and Shibel was 3 of 3.
- Senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long dished out a season-high seven assists with just one turnover.
- UNLV made 82.4 percent of its free throws (14 of 17).
- UNLV outscored Fresno State in bench points, 29-17.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,095 straight games.
NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will remain at the Thomas & Mack Center next week to host intrastate rival UNR on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.
