Graney: Toughness defines Rebels in win against Aztecs

They will talk first about the jump shot. The one with 18 seconds left in regulation. They will talk next about the free throws with six seconds remaining, the ones that clinched victory for UNLV’s basketball team Tuesday night.

But when dissecting how the Rebels beat San Diego State 62-58 before 7,911 at the Thomas & Mack Center, nobody should discount the toughness of point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. Or, for that matter, the entire team.

You don’t get more physical than the Aztecs in Mountain West play. And if you’re going to beat them, it’s on you to stand up and fight back for 40 minutes. UNLV did. Tough were the Rebels all evening.

They played like San Diego State and beat San Diego State.

Freshman shines again

It’s a mindset that began with Thomas, the 18-year-old freshman who was tasked with countering two of nation’s top defensive guards in Lamont Butler and Darrion Trammell. Thomas was hounded from the tip. Poked. Prodded. Made to overcome constant pressure.

He would face such pestering for nearly 37 minutes, totaling five turnovers and yet getting better as the game wore on. And then to hit the shot that gave UNLV a 60-58 lead and the free throws for a final margin of victory, well, it’s getting tougher and tougher to amply describe how special Thomas is to the program.

“I was getting a little frustrated with all the contact and physicality,” said Thomas, who scored a game-high 19 points. “The guys just told me to keep my head, keep my cool. Not get too up. Not get too down.”

It wasn’t just him. UNLV has won 10 of 11 games and closes out the regular season at UNR on Saturday. And when you begin searching for reasons why things have gone so swimmingly of late for the Rebels, look to one end of the court.

They have, during this recent run of wins, ranked among the country’s top 10 teams in defensive efficiency. A part of the team’s game that was so poor early in the season is now its central strength.

It really gets into people. Rebounds the ball. Blocks shots.

San Diego State began the game shooting 0-of-13 and 1-of-16 and 2-of-22 and 3-of-26. Not all of it was UNLV’s doing — the Aztecs missed their share of open looks — but the Rebels also forced them into bad ones.

Toughness?

Look no further than junior forward Rob Whaley Jr. He was tasked with being the primary defender on San Diego State star Jaedon LeDee, in the running for conference Player of the Year.

LeDee would finish just 2-of-12 from the field. Much of that had to do with Whaley standing his ground inside, not allowing LeDee on most trips to earn solid positioning. The Rebels don’t beat the Aztecs without Whaley’s defense. No chance.

Playing their best

UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said afterward his team is playing for something. He’s right. The top five seeds for next week’s conference tournament haven’t been decided. So much still left to be sorted out.

“I told them in the locker room that a handful of weeks ago, six weeks ago, everyone had written off everybody in this program,” Kruger said. “There was kind of a nastiness to it. But they stuck together and continued to work and won in some tough venues and have had some great wins here at home. They’re playing for each other. A lot of things to be proud of.”

Look. They’ve had some bad losses. Some forgettable ones. I’m not sure how nasty things really got from the outside, but the storyline has definitely shifted.

They’re as good as anyone else in the Mountain West right now, playing their finest basketball at the absolute best time. And on Tuesday night, against the most physical team this conference has known for years, UNLV proved just as tough.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.