Slow start doesn’t foil Rebels in win over UTEP

Left open in the corner, Anthony Marshall set his feet and released a line-drive shot that hit nothing, not even the net.

UNLV's junior guard was a combination of disgusted and frustrated. He missed five of his six shots in the first half, including the hideous air ball that probably had the kids in the crowd hiding their eyes.

"I struggled," Marshall said, "but I stuck with it."

However unlikely it seemed, Marshall eventually stuck the most crucial shots of the game to lift the Rebels to a 65-54 victory over Texas-El Paso at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night.

Marshall scored 10 of his season-high 20 points in the final 5:08, when he made the first of two 3-pointers that helped UNLV extend a one-point lead to eight.

"I knew my time was coming," he said. "Those are shots I practice and I know I can make. I had the confidence in myself to make those shots down the stretch."

Miners coach Tim Floyd had the Rebels scouted thoroughly and figured there was one shooter on the floor who could not possibly beat him.

"It turned out Marshall did that," Floyd said. "When it got down to it, Marshall was the difference. He has been a 27 percent (shooter) from the 3-point line, and he made three consecutive big baskets."

Floyd instructed UTEP's defenders to sag off Marshall the entire game, and his plan worked perfectly for almost 35 minutes.

"They were daring Anthony to shoot, and we want him to play with confidence," UNLV coach Dave Rice said. "Those were three game-winning shots he made."

The Rebels (10-2) were rescued by Marshall and their other junior guard, Justin Hawkins, who finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four steals. Hawkins hit both of his field goals and went 7-for-7 on free throws.

Sophomore forward Carlos Lopez also played a key role by scoring seven of his 11 points in the second half.

Floyd wanted the Miners (2-5) to control the tempo and shorten the game, and they were effective in that by often burning 20 seconds off the shot clock before triggering their offense and getting back on defense to limit the Rebels' running in transition.

UNLV missed 16 of its first 19 shots from the field before Mike Moser tipped in a Marshall miss at the 8:39 mark, and the snail's pace of play frustrated the Rebels and tortured the crowd of 11,805.

"I felt like we had the crowd out of it for the most part just because of our approach," Floyd said. "We did not want to get them in a street game out there because they excel at it."

With the help of Oscar Bellfield's two 3-pointers, the Rebels led 24-21 at halftime.

Lopez scored inside before Moser's fast-break dunk put UNLV up 46-41 with 6:30 remaining. But the Rebels failed to build on the momentum, and UTEP tied it at 46 on Gabriel McCulley's two free throws with 5:55 to play.

Marshall's first 3-pointer gave UNLV a 52-48 lead, and his second made the score 57-49 with 3:57 to remaining. He nailed another perimeter jumper less than a minute later.

"If you get an open shot, make them pay," Marshall said, recounting the message from his coaches at halftime. He hit 5 of 6 shots in the second half.

After the Miners cut their deficit to five, Chace Stanback dropped in a short jumper at the two-minute mark. Stanback, the Rebels' leading scorer coming in at 15.2 per game, was held to five points on 2-for-8 shooting.

"We couldn't get a stop down the stretch," Floyd said. "Too many turnovers and too much Marshall."

Michael Perez scored 17 points and McCulley 15 for UTEP, which shot 1-for-10 from 3-point range was pressured into 20 turnovers.

But the Miners, who were 17-point underdogs, stayed in position to steal a win until the final two minutes.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.