UNLV defeats Boise St 89-85
UNLV Edges Boise St in Thrilling Conference Battle
The Thomas & Mack Center was electric on Wednesday evening as the UNLV Rebels hosted their rival Boise State Broncos in a conference showdown that would go down to the wire. The home team emerged victorious, 89-85, in a game that saw both teams give it their all.
As the clock ticked down, it became clear that this was going to be a battle for the ages. The Rebels took an early lead, but the Broncos fought back, tying the game at halftime. In the second half, UNLV regained the upper hand, but Boise State refused to back down, keeping the deficit to just one point with minutes left on the clock.
In a stunning turn of events, the Rebels pulled away for good in the final seconds, securing a 4-point victory that will undoubtedly be remembered for weeks to come. Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn led the charge, pouring in 33 points and dishing out six assists to go along with two steals.
"I just tried to stay focused and let my game speak for itself," Gibbs-Lawhorn said after the game. "We knew it was going to be a tough matchup, but we were confident in our abilities."
Boise State's Drew Fielder had a strong all-around performance, scoring 23 points while grabbing seven rebounds. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the Rebels' depth and determination.
The key to UNLV's success lay in their ability to exploit Boise State's weaknesses on both ends of the floor. The Rebels' defense held the Broncos to just 21% from three-point range, a stark contrast to their own 33% clip. Meanwhile, UNLV's offense was able to capitalize on Boise State's turnovers, scoring 29 points off turnovers compared to the Broncos' 12.
As for advanced statistics, UNLV's eFG percentage (52.3%) and True Shooting Percentage (56.8%) were both impressive, showcasing their team-wide efficiency on offense. Meanwhile, Boise State's TO Ratio (18.8) highlighted their struggles with turnovers, which ultimately cost them the game.
The win puts UNLV in a great position in conference play, while Boise State falls to 2-1 in league action. The Rebels will look to build on this momentum as they head into their next matchup, while the Broncos will regroup and look to bounce back from this tough loss.
Game Stats:
UNLV:
* Field Goals: 31/66 (47.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 24/45 (53.3%)
* 3-Point FG: 7/21 (33.0%)
* Free Throws: 20/28 (71.0%)
* Rebounds: 40 (Off: 14, Def: 26)
* Assists: 16
* Turnovers: 13
* Steals: 9
* Blocks: 5
Boise St:
* Field Goals: 30/61 (49.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 27/47 (57.4%)
* 3-Point FG: 3/14 (21.0%)
* Free Throws: 22/29 (76.0%)
* Rebounds: 33 (Off: 8, Def: 25)
* Assists: 16
* Turnovers: 15
* Steals: 9
* Blocks: 3