UNLV avoids drama

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- After a month in which every game was suspenseful for UNLV, junior forward Matt Shaw enjoyed a night that was in no way stressful.

Shaw scored 16 points, Tre'Von Willis had 15 and Chace Stanback added 12 as the Rebels rolled to a 78-50 victory over Wyoming on Wednesday.

"This is our first blowout in a while, and it kind of does feel good," Shaw said. "But we can't assume we'll do this to everybody."

UNLV (18-4, 6-2 Mountain West Conference) saddled the Cowboys with their worst home loss since 1959, 23 years before the Arena-Auditorium opened.

"We came in expecting it to be a fight right down to the wire," Rebels coach Lon Kruger said.

The real fight is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, when UNLV hosts No. 12 Brigham Young (22-2, 7-1).

"That's a big game," Willis said. "We're all looking forward to that game."

The Rebels, after seven tightly contested MWC games and a week off, did not look past Wyoming (9-13, 2-6). UNLV took the lead on a Willis jumper one minute in and never trailed again.

Oscar Bellfield's 3-pointer put the Rebels ahead 17-8 with 13:45 left, and Stanback's 3 extended the lead to 36-22 with 2:15 to go.

"If you open the ballgame like that and play with an eight- or 10-point lead most of the first half, you'll take that on the road anytime," Kruger said. "The scoring was pretty spread around."

Kruger used all 10 players in the first eight minutes, and each of them scored in the half.

UNLV climbed on top 40-27 at halftime by shooting 48.6 percent from the field and committing only two turnovers.

The Rebels made more field goals in the first half (18) than the Cowboys did in the game. Wyoming shot 14-for-49 for its lowest field-goal percentage (28.6) of the season.

"UNLV is a good team, and we played poorly. That is not a good combination," Cowboys coach Heath Schroyer said. "When we struggled knocking down shots, things began to snowball on us."

Shaw scored five points during the Rebels' 10-1 run to open the second half.

"We felt good about the first half, but we didn't want to relax," said Shaw, who tied his career high in points by shooting 7-for-9, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range. He also grabbed six rebounds.

Bellfield and freshman Anthony Marshall each added eight points for UNLV, which totaled 20 assists and shot 32-for-60 (53.3 percent).

Kendall Wallace had five points and five assists, and senior forward Darris Santee finished with six points and five rebounds.

"We didn't make that many mistakes. It was a great game for us," Stanback said. "I don't think all 10 guys are going to be able to contribute every game, but it's nice to see that."

Ryan Dermody's 12 points paced Wyoming, which missed 14 free throws and had 14 turnovers.

The Rebels had not won by more than 12 points since beating Hawaii (77-53) and South Carolina-Upstate (88-58) in December.

"It felt good to get on the court against an opponent and do what you want," Willis said.

• NOTES -- Junior guard Derrick Jasper, out about four more weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, watched from the bench. Jasper said he's pleased with the improvement in his knee and said he's "pretty confident" he will return in early March. "It's kind of weird watching, but I've been through it before," he said. ... UNLV officials announced a limited number of tickets remain for the BYU game, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 18,000.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0353.