SAN DIEGO (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team lost its Mountain West opener at San Diego State 72-61 on Saturday afternoon.

Luis Rodriguez and Dedan Thomas Jr. each scored 13 points to lead the Runnin' Rebels (7-6, 0-1). Thomas Jr. added a game-high five assists with only one turnover and recorded two steals. Keylan Boone collected a team-high six rebounds.

The Aztecs (13-2, 2-0) were led by Jaedon LeDee's double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Micah Parrish added 14 points and Darrion Trammell had 10.

SLOW START: UNLV found itself with an early 18-3 deficit after making just one of its first 11 shot attempts. SDSU increased its advantage to 25-9 with just over eight minutes to play in the first half before the Runnin' Rebels started to chip away. UNLV closed the gap to seven points at 31-24 with a little less than two-and-a-half minutes until halftime.

SECOND HALF: UNLV trailed by 10 at the break, 35-25, and cut its lead down to six points at 46-40 with under 12 minutes to go, but that was as close as it would get. SDSU outscored the Runnin' Rebels over the final 20 minutes by just a point (37-36), making 47.8% of its shots after halftime, while UNLV made 44.4%.

STAT OF THE GAME: San Diego State shot 18 more free throws than UNLV did (30-12), outscoring the Runnin' Rebels at the line by 16 points, 23-7.

OTHER NOTES:
- SDSU held UNLV to just 39.7% shooting for the game (23 of 58), including 26.7% on 3-pointers (8 of 30). The Aztecs finished at 45.5% (22 of 48) and 31.3% (5 of 16), respectively.
- SDSU led in rebounding, 38-28.
- UNLV forced SDSU to commit 17 turnovers.
- UNLV led in points off turnovers (19-13), but trailed in fastbreak points (10-2) and bench scoring (18-12).
- Jalen Hill, who had missed the last six games with a wrist injury, returned to the starting lineup but left the game late in the first half with a knee injury and did not return.
- UNLV has made at least one 3-pointer in a NCAA-record 1,206 straight games.

NEXT FOR THE RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV will return home to the Thomas & Mack Center for its Mountain West home opener on Tuesday, Jan. 9 vs. New Mexico. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS: UNLV men's basketball tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-3267 or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.