UNLV Runnin’ Rebels Return To Win Column With 86-72 Win Over Wyoming Tuesday
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
We all knew Hunter Thompson could write. But who knew Hunter Thompson could nail three-point shots from beyond the arc for Wyoming?
The counter-culture king of gonzo journalism died in 2005. But his namesake hoopster from the Wyoming Cowboys basketball team returned to Las Vegas Wednesday evening for a Mountain West Conference showdown with a slumping UNLV Runnin’ Rebels squad.
The Rebs were on the skids, losing six of their first seven conference games after a sizzling 11-1 start to the season. But Wyoming came to Las Vegas with a mediocre 6-13 record with the same 1-6 conference record.
And UNLV responded with a 41-31 lead at halftime, shooting 55 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. And then UNLV’s EJ Harkless led the Rebs in the second half for a 86-72 win for the home team in Thomas & Mack Center. UNLV improved to 13-7 and 2-6 in the MWC, while Wyoming slumped to 6-14, and 1-7 in the Mountain West. Harkless led the Rebs with 28 points. UNLV announced attendance at 4,539.
“Today was a great step toward the way we’ve been playing,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger told the media after the game. “We guarded without fouling. It was a definitely a step back in the right direction.”
UNLV could have made its mark in a highly competitive Las Vegas sports market if the basketball team kept its winning ways rolling in conference play after winning 11 of its first dozen games.
But it began with an overtime loss in San Jose State and a sparkling 11-1 record has sagged to a current 13-7 mark. The Rebs’ only conference winning entering tonight’s game was a win over a tough New Mexico Lobos team at The Pit in New Mexico.
It was not a big crowd. UNLV used $2 beers to try and juice up the crowd. Some fans did cash in on that part of the deal.
UNLV has a big game here Saturday when Nevada, Reno visits The Mack.
