BOISE, Idaho (UNLVRebels.com) - Down two starters because of injury, the UNLV men's basketball team played with the fire and intensity necessary to win on the road but came up short in a 73-69 loss at Boise State on Sunday night.

The Runnin' Rebels (16-11 overall, 5-10 Mountain West) were paced by EJ Harkless and Shane Nowell who each scored 14 points (career high for Nowell). Elijah Parquet and Luis Rodriguez both sat out. 

Boise State (21-6, 11-3) had four players score in double figures, led by Marcus Shaver Jr.'s 19 points.

HOW IT ENDED: The Runnin' Rebels cut their deficit to just two points on a couple of occasions under the four-minute mark and trailed 65-63 with under two minutes to go, but a couple of key fouls were called against UNLV and Boise State scored on a second chance and then made two free throws to increase its advantage to six with under a minute to play. Jordan McCabe made a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left and Nowell also hit one with eight seconds to go to again trim the deficit to two points, but UNLV would not get any closer. Shaver Jr. scored all six of Boise State's final points on free throws in the final minute.

BACK AND FORTH: It was a back-and-forth game as it had seven lead changes and eight ties throughout. Each team's largest lead was seven points.

QUOTABLE: "I thought both teams did a really good job competing. It was a great second half in a lot of ways. A lot of great fight for our five that hadn't played together, to come in and battle like that in a really tough place to play. There is no moral victory to it, but at the same time it could have gone the other direction pretty easily. " - UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger.

OTHER NOTES:
- Nowell made his first career start.
- UNLV shot 42.3% on 3-pointers (11 of 26) and held Boise State to just 25% (4 of 16) from long range.
- After shooting 35.5% (11 of 31) in the first half, Boise State made 56.0% (14 of 25) after halftime.
- UNLV led by as many as seven in the first half, but a 19-6 run by the Broncos to end the half gave them a 38-32 advantage at the break.
- Jordan McCabe and Justin Webster each scored nine points. Webster shot 3 of 5 on 3-pointers, while McCabe was 3 of 6.
- David Muoka had a season-high five blocked shots.
- Boise State's Max Rice was the game's leading rebounder with eight to go along with his 17 points.
- Boise State led in points in the paint 34-16, while UNLV led in bench scoring 20-11.
- Boise State recorded the regular-season sweep over UNLV also winning (84-66) in Las Vegas on Jan. 11.
- Boise State improved to 12-1 on its home floor this season.
- The Runnin' Rebels have lost each of their last three games.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,188 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will return home to the Thomas & Mack Center to host Air Force on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or in person at the TMC Box Office.