David Jenkins Jr.
56
Utah St. USU 12-5,9-2 Mountain West
59
Winner UNLV UNLV 6-6,3-2 Mountain West
Utah St. USU
12-5,9-2 Mountain West
56
Final
59
UNLV UNLV
6-6,3-2 Mountain West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Utah St. USU 34 22 56
UNLV UNLV 39 20 59

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Runnin' Rebels Down Utah State, 59-56, For Fifth Straight Win

Bryce Hamilton and David Jenkins Jr. each scored 14 points, while Moses Wood blocked potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Bryce Hamilton and David Jenkins Jr. each scored 14 points and Moses Wood blocked a potential game-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer as the UNLV men's basketball team defeated Utah State, 59-56, for its fifth straight win Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Hamilton made a game-high four 3-pointers (on eight attempts) and dished out a career-high eight assists, while also collecting a career-high five steals for UNLV (6-6, 3-2). Wood added 10 points and Mbacke Diong grabbed a game-high-tying 11 rebounds.

Utah State (12-5, 9-2) was led by Marco Anthony's 18 points and nine rebounds. Justin Bean added 10 points, while Neemias Queta collected 11 rebounds.

STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV made 13 3-pointers to just five for Utah State. The Runnin' Rebels shot 43.3% from beyond the arc, while they limited the Aggies to just 22.7%.

HANGING ON: UNLV built a 10-point lead, its largest of the game, 53-43, with 4:17 to go, but a 13-4 Utah State run at the end of the game, cut the deficit to just one point at 57-56 with 10 seconds to go. Jenkins Jr. made two free throws before Wood blocked Steven Ashworth's 3-point try.

QUOTABLE: "It was a really hard fought game on both sides. Certainly a defensive battle down the stretch. We kind of bent... fortunately we didn't break and made just enough plays defensively. We talked about it a lot - if we can hang our hats on our defense like we did tonight, we'll figure the rest out. Proud of our guys for finding a way to come out with a win. Even when our offense was kind of sputtering we showed that we can hang our hat on that defense to bring home a victory." - UNLV head coach T.J. Otzelberger

NOTES: 
- UNLV now leads the all-time series with Utah State, 34-9.
- UNLV is 17-2 all-time against the Aggies at home.
- It was just the second UNLV win against Utah State in the last six meetings overall, however UNLV has now won two of the last three meetings.
- Queta blocked six shots, a UNLV opponent individual high this season. 
- It marked the seventh game this season that UNLV has made at least 10 3-pointers.
- UNLV recorded a season-high 13 steals.
- There were a total of five lead changes and five ties throughout the game.
- Utah State out-rebounded UNLV 44-38 and out-scored the Runnin' Rebels in points in the paint, 30-10.
- No fans were permitted to attend the game.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,114 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will conclude its six-game homestand with the series finale against Utah State at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday, January 27 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on FS1 with the radio call available on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas.


 
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