LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team (11-1) defeated Southern Mississippi 74-63 in its non-conference finale Thursday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

It marks the first time since the 1992-93 season that UNLV lost only one non-conference contest in a season and is the Runnin' Rebels' best non-conference record (by percentage) since going 9-0 in 1990-91.

EJ Harkless led the Runnin' Rebels with 19 points, while Luis Rodriguez added 18 and Justin Webster contributed 12. Keshon Gilbert grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, while he, along with Harkless and Rodriguez, each had four steals.

Southern Miss (11-2) was led by DeAndre Pinckney's double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds. He was 10 of 18 from the field, while Austin Crowley added 18 points.

DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE: UNLV held Southern Miss to 10.5% on 3-pointers (2 of 19). The Golden Eagles managed just 1 of 9 in the first half and followed in the second 20 minutes by making just 1 of 10. The Runnin' Rebels forced Southern Miss into 25 turnovers and UNLV recorded 13 steals.

TURNING POINT: UNLV held Southern Miss without a point for more than five minutes and used a 15-0 run to take a 55-43 lead with 9:32 to go.

QUOTABLE: "I can't really put into words how happy I am for the way they responded after halftime. After that first loss and having that feeling, which was new to this group, it carried on for a few days and that's tough. But they rallied together and figured it out. They made some adjustments and played for each other. When we are talking, bouncing around and getting great activity, we have shown that we can be elite and I thought, especially during that one stretch in the second half, we showed a lot of what we have been doing throughout the year. It's a great feeling to go into this break with the win before we get back together and get ready to go on the road to open Mountain West play." - UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger.

OTHER NOTES:
- Harkless scored 15 of his points in the second half.
- Rodriguez was 5 of 8 on 3-pointers.
- Victor Iwaukor had eight points, eight rebounds and a career-high four blocks.
- Harkless and Rodriguez each had seven rebounds, while Harkless also had six assists.
- Southern Miss shot 50.0% in the first half and held a 33-32 lead at the break, but UNLV held the Golden Eagles to just 37.5% from the field after that, outscoring them 42-30 over the final 20 minutes.
- UNLV outscored Southern Miss by 13 at the free-throw line, 24-11.
- UNLV recorded double digits in steals for the eighth time this season and the third straight game.
- UNLV forced its opponent into 20 or more turnovers for the eighth time this season and has done so in two of its last three games. 
- There were 13 lead changes and three ties throughout the game.
- UNLV scored 33 points off turnovers, compared to just 14 for Southern Mississippi.
- Southern Miss outscored UNLV in points in the paint, 32-22, and outrebounded the Runnin' Rebels 46-39.
- UNLV improved its all-time record against Southern Miss to 2-0. The previous meeting was in 1972.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,173 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will open Mountain West play at San Jose State on Wednesday, Dec. 28. The 7 p.m. game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.