Balance, defense lift Rebels
SAN DIEGO — Unsure how his young basketball team would react to its first road game of the season, UNLV coach Lon Kruger admitted to feeling anxious.
It turned out he had little to fear.
Wink Adams scored 12 points, and the Rebels used swarming defense and balanced scoring to defeat San Diego 66-55 on Saturday night before 2,853 at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
It made UNLV’s five-hour bus ride home easier to bear.
"Anytime you win on the road, you feel great about it, and we’ll learn a lot from it," Kruger said. "A lot of different guys made plays."
Junior forward Joe Darger converted a four-point play in the first half for UNLV and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Eight players scored at least six points for the Rebels (3-0), who evidently don’t need to rely on Adams to do too much shooting.
Adams took only six shots and made four, including both of his 3-point attempts. Adams hit a 3 to put UNLV up 56-42 with 5:16 remaining.
"I’ve got tons of help. Everybody can score on this team," Adams said. "We kept our composure in the second half, and we didn’t buckle under the pressure."
The Rebels led 31-22 at halftime, but the Toreros opened the second half with a 7-2 run. Adams and Marcus Lawrence answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to increase the lead to 39-29.
"Wink made a couple big shots at critical times," Kruger said.
Lawrence had seven points and five assists as UNLV’s reserves combined for 22 points and 17 rebounds. Rene Rougeau scored eight points and Mareceo Rutledge seven points, and Lamar Roberson had nine rebounds.
Sophomore Matt Shaw started at center and finished with nine points and five rebounds. Senior starters Corey Bailey and Curtis Terry scored six points apiece.
"I think we’re going to be pretty deep," Darger said. "We’re a well-balanced team, and everybody contributes."
The Rebels defended the perimeter well, holding San Diego to 3-for-20 shooting from 3-point range and forcing 17 turnovers.
The Toreros’ biggest threat was 6-foot-8-inch, 240-pound center Gyno Pomare, who muscled his way to 23 points and 10 rebounds. He had seven offensive rebounds.
Pomare was guarded mostly by Shaw and Roberson, who are both 6-8, with the 6-7 Darger jumping in to help.
"(Pomare) got a few easy baskets," Darger said. "Being a smaller team, we’ve got to deny the post, and when they drive, we’ve got to rotate better with our weak-side defense."
Darger made one of the game’s key plays with 4:55 to go in the first half. He hit a 3-pointer, was fouled by Pomare and added the free throw for a 27-15 lead.
Any weaknesses UNLV has soon might get exposed.
Kruger’s anxiety now is about returning home. The Rebels will put their 19-game winning streak at the Thomas & Mack Center on the line Wednesday against No. 6 Louisville.
"We’re thinking about Louisville now," Adams said. "We’ve got a lot to work on if we’re going to beat a great team like that."
The Toreros (2-1) host two Mountain West Conference teams in three days as they see San Diego State on Monday night.
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2907.