Rebels wake back up after blowing lead, bury Hofstra — PHOTOS
It took the Rebels four minutes to cough up a double-figure lead.
UNLV was up by 12 points on Hofstra at halftime, but with 16:15 remaining, a 3-pointer by Pride junior guard Darlinstone Dubar tied the game.
Yet five minutes later, the Rebels were once again in control, leading by double figures and eventually cruising to a 74-56 win, their largest margin of victory this season, Thursday at the Thomas &Mack Center.
“It’s a game of runs,” sixth-year guard Luis Rodriguez said. “We knew they were going to come out the gate and try to make a run, and we just stayed level-headed, trusted what we do, believed in each other and got the game back in our hands.”
Rodriguez scored 15 points and made three 3s for the second consecutive game for the Rebels (5-5). Fifth-year forward Keylan Boone led UNLV with 16 points off the bench to finish a game-best plus-31 in 30 minutes, and fellow reserve Jackie Johnson III added 10 points.
Six players scored eight points or more for the Rebels, who shot 48.3 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from 3. UNLV also won the rebounding battle 39-30.
Dubar had 17 points to lead the Pride (7-5). Fifth-year guard Tyler Thomas, Hofstra’s leading scorer who entered Thursday averaging 22.9 points per game, was held to 13 points on 4-of-20 shooting.
“A definite team win,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said. “Major contributions across the board, and a really good, positive way to finish the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule.”
Rebounding and defense got UNLV ahead early. The Rebels held the Pride to 29 percent shooting from the floor and 28.6 percent from 3 in the first half. Kruger’s squad also led the rebounding margin by 12, thanks in part to junior forward Rob Whaley Jr.
The former junior college transfer played just a handful of seconds at the end of UNLV’s 69-67 double-overtime loss against Saint Mary’s on Saturday but was one of Kruger’s first players off the bench against Hofstra.
Whaley finished the game with three points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks. He was plus-14 in more than 20 minutes, filling in admirably as starting forward Kalib Boone once again dealt with early foul trouble.
“(Whaley)’s a bruiser,” Keylan Boone said. “He has to be a bruiser all the time.”
Hofstra started the second half like UNLV began the game. The Pride went on a quick 14-2 run and tied the game 38-38 four minutes into the second half. A layup by Dubar with 15:26 remaining gave Hofstra its first lead.
The Rebels responded with defense, putting pressure on the Pride guards as soon as they crossed halfcourt. Rodriguez, Whaley and Johnson got easy transition layups or dunks as the Rebels forced three turnovers in a three-minute span. UNLV scored 10 points off turnovers and four fast-break points in the second half to re-establish its lead.
Additionally, the Pride ranked fifth in the nation in 3s per game (11.1), but the Rebels held them to just eight 3s. Hofstra also shot just 32 percent from 3, significantly lower than the 38.3 percent clip that had it ranked 25th in the country entering Thursday.
Kruger praised Johnson, in particular, for putting full-court defensive pressure on Hofstra’s guards.
“I’m just really proud of him in that regard,” Kruger said. “That’s just awesome to see. That shows complete, 100 percent buy-in.”
Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on X.
