EJ Harkless
84
Winner UNLV UNLV 12-3,1-2 Mountain West
77
New Mexico UNM 14-2,2-2 Mountain West
Winner
UNLV UNLV
12-3,1-2 Mountain West
84
Final
77
New Mexico UNM
14-2,2-2 Mountain West
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNLV UNLV 38 46 84
New Mexico UNM 43 34 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Runnin' Rebels Win Wild One Against No. 21 New Mexico At Sold-Out Pit, 84-77

Lobos handed their first home loss as UNLV defeats second ranked team of the season Saturday night in Albuquerque.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team (12-3 overall, 1-2 Mountain West) defeated No. 21 New Mexico 84-77 in front of a raucous sold-out crowd at The Pit Saturday night.

It marked the Runnin' Rebels' second win against a ranked opponent this season as it won at home against then-No. 21 Dayton in November.

EJ Harkless scored 21 of his season- and game-high 25 points in the second half, while four other Runnin' Rebels finished in double figures in points: Keshon Gilbert (14), Jordan McCabe (12), Luis Rodriguez (12) and David Muoka (11). Muoka had a team-high seven rebounds, while Harkless and Rodriguez each grabbed six. Gilbert and Harkless each dished out a game-high five assists, while Gilbert recorded a career-high-tying four steals. 

The Lobos (14-2, 2-2), who lost their second straight game but first of the season at home, were led by Morris Udeze's 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting, along with a game-high 13 rebounds. Jamal Mashburn Jr. added 19 points and Jaelen House scored 12.

STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV shot 55.6% (15 of 27) in the second half, while holding UNM to just 34.3% (12 of 35) after halftime.

DOWN TO THE WIRE: UNLV led by six points with under 40 seconds to go. Mashburn Jr.'s fastbreak layup cut it to four and a miscue by Harkless going after a rebound gave the Lobos the ball back with 33 seconds to play. House was fouled on a 3-point try, but only made one of the three free-throw attempts with 22 seconds left. Rodriguez then made two free throws with 21 seconds left to seal the game.

QUOTABLE: "That atmosphere just gets everybody's competitiveness going. The guys were in it and everyone was fighting. It is easy to say it was a fun one now when you come out on top, but it is one of the best venues and atmospheres in college basketball and it got everyone going from the jump. We got off to a little bit of a slow start but the guys took a deep breath - everybody on our roster has been in that situation before. Either previously or even last year here (at The Pit) to an extent. Just incredibly proud of them." - UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger.

OTHER NOTES:
- UNLV has won eight of the last nine meetings with New Mexico overall and has won six of the last nine games at The Pit.
- UNM led by as many as 12 points in the first half, 26-14 with 8:57 to go.
- Trailing 43-38 at halftime, UNLV came out of the break by scoring the first nine points.
- UNLV outscored the Lobos 46-34 in the second half and led by as many as eight with 9:41 to go.
- The Runnin' Rebels finished the game shooting 51.8% (29 of 56), which marked their fifth game of the season shooting at least 50.0%. They are 5-0 in those games.
- Harkless was 7 of 11 from the field and 2 of 4 on 3-pointers after halftime. He only scored four points in the first half on 1 of 5 shooting.
- UNLV held House scoreless in the second half. After leading the Lobos in scoring over the first 20 minutes on 4 of 6 from the field, he shot 0 of 7 during the second half.
- The win ended a season-high two-game losing streak for the Runnin' Rebels. 
- Announced attendance was 15,424.
- Gilbert was 5 of 7 from the field. He committed two turnovers in the first two minutes of the game, but committed just three over the next 28 minutes of playing time. 
- Victor Iwuakor (3) and Muoka (2) combined for five blocked shots and UNLV recorded seven as a team to just one for UNM.
- Harkless only had one turnover in 35 minutes of action.
- New Mexico recorded 17 offensive rebounds to just five for UNLV but the Lobos only managed six more second-chance points than the Runnin' Rebels.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,176 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will return home to the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night, Jan. 11, to host Boise State (12-4, 2-1) at 8 p.m. It will be another $2 Beer Night and UNLV students will have the chance to win Future tickets. 

BUY TICKETS: Tickets for the game may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS or in person at the TMC Box Office.


 
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