Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
They’re older than Vegas Golden Knights fans these UNLV basketball fans who can recite details about a Larry Johnson drive to the hoop or a Freddie Banks jump shots from literally decades ago.
The VGK game have a lot of whiz bang techno going on at T-Mobile Arena and probably outdraw the Runnin’ Rebels by a three-to-one margin.
The UNLV hoops games are much less costly to attend than VGK games, and the men’s basketball team is slowly gaining in relevance as first-year coach Kevin Kruger has stabilized a program that has endured a merry-go-round of coaches from Rice-to-Beard-to-Menzies-to-Otzelberger-to-Kruger.
While VGK is nouveau riche Summerlin, UNLV is old-time Vegas neighborhoods who are trying to will their Rebels to some semblance of national relevancy.
They came out on UNLV senior night Wednesday as two of the Mountain West’s top five teams — UNLV and Wyoming — went at it at Thomas and Mack Center.
When Wyoming comes to The Mack, I always get a kick out of a tall Cowboys player by the name of Hunter Thompson, who haunted the UNLV team in a fear and loathing kind of way with three-point shots in the first half.
After UNLV limited Wyoming to only 10 points in the first 12 minutes of the first half, the Cowboys came back to trail by only a point at the half, 30-29.
The Rebels seized control of the game in the second half and finished their home schedule with a 64-57 win over Wyoming.
UNLV is 18-12 and finish the regular season with a road game against New Mexico Saturday. Wyoming is 23-7.
We brought up after the Boise State game that when we have been winning, defense has been the calling card. That’s what we have been doing well. Holding opponents in the 50s and to a lower percentage shooting and rebounding and I don’t think that they could have taken that message after watching film and implemented a change any better than they did tonight. Those guys aren’t easy to guard and it is not easy to play defense in the post. When you have multiple guys that are that comfortable with their back to the basket like Wyoming has, all you can do is compete and battle each play and I thought that we did that tonight. – UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger
UNLV senior Bryce Hamilton struggled on 3-for-15 shooting for 15 points, but Royce Hamm, Jr. led UNLV with 17 points while Justin Webster came off the bench for 5-for-7 shooting to chip in with 11 points.
UNLV shot 21-for-55 (38 percent), while Wyoming was 21-for-61 (34 percent).
Wyoming was led by Hunter Maldonado with 22 points.