MANHATTAN, Kan. – UNLV used a strong start to the second half to break open a tight game, as the Runnin' Rebels avenged their 2019 home loss to Kansas State with a 68-58 win on Saturday night in front of a limited capacity crowd of 910 fans at Bramlage Coliseum.
Leading 31-30 at halftime, UNLV (1-4) connected on 3-pointers on 3 consecutive possessions to open the second half to take 42-30 lead at the first media timeout at the 15:58 mark. The 3-point spree ignited an 18-9 overall run by the Runnin' Rebels that opened up a 49-39 lead with just over 12 minutes to play.
K-State (1-3) slowly chipped away at the deficit, as senior Mike McGuirl converted on a pair of free throws with 5:55 to play that closed the gap to 56-53. However, the Wildcats couldn't go ahead after several defensive stops, as a pair of 3-pointers from junior David Jenkins, Jr., started an 8-0 run that enabled UNLV to close out the game.
Jenkins connected on 7 of the Runnin' Rebels' 12 3-point field goals on the day, including 5 in the second half, as he led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-17 field goals in 30 minutes of action. Fellow junior Bryce Hamilton added 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting with a team-high 8 rebounds and 6 assists in 35 minutes, while Wichita native Caleb Grill scored 12 points on 5-of-8 field goals, which included a pair of 3-pointers.
For the game, UNLV converted on 52 percent of its field goals (26-of-50), including 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from 3-point range. The Runnin' Rebels shot 50 percent or better in each half.
K-State could never sustain any offensive momentum, shooting a season-low 36.1 percent (22-of-61) from the field, including 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from 3-point range.
McGuirl was lone Wildcat to score in double figures, posting 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and a 5-of-6 effort from the free throw line. Sophomore DaJuan Gordon and freshman Nijel Pack each added 9 points, while Pack dished out a season-best 7 assists with zero turnovers and 5 rebounds. Sophomore Antonio Gordon tied a career-high with a team-best 9 rebounds.
KEY STRETCH(ES)
UNLV broke open a tight game with 3 consecutive 3-pointers to open the second half, taking a 31-30 advantage and turning it into a 42-30 lead going into the first media timeout at the 15:58 mark. The 3-point spree started an 18-9 run that gave the Runnin' Rebels a 49-39 advantage that forced a K-State timeout with 12:05 to play.
After K-State had closed to within 56-53 on a pair of Mike McGuirl free throws at the 5:55 mark, UNLV scored 8 consecutive points, including back-to-back 3-pointers from David Jenkins, Jr. that pushed the lead back to 11 (64-53) with 3:10 to play. The Wildcats never got closer than 9 points the rest of the way.
PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
Senior Mike McGuirl scored a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and a 5-of-6 effort from the free throw line in 33 minutes. It marked his 12th career double-digit scoring game, including his second this season.
Freshman Nijel Pack had a solid line with 9 points on 4-of-11 shooting to go with a season-high 7 assists (to zero turnovers) and 5 rebounds in 35 minutes.
STAT OF THE GAME
12 – UNLV connected on 12 of 27 attempts from 3-point range, include 7 from junior David Jenkins.
IN THEIR WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the game…
"We know every game is going to be tough for us. They're 0-4. They had battled in a bunch of games. I thought they played with great toughness. Obviously, they stepped up and made some shots, some tough ones. Sometimes it's as simple as making shots to win games. We had layup after layup after layup that we did not finish. We shoot for the game 36 (percent). They shoot 50. They out-toughed us for balls in the second half. That's why I called timeout right away. Monty (Montavious Murphy) isn't in there, so now you have mixed up lineups. Other guys have to rebound. DaJuan (Gordon) had nine rebounds last game, now he has two. Then when it gets tough in the game and we've been there in every game so far this year, when it gets tough, we cannot melt down. We have to execute. We got to get good shots. We cut it to three, had a layup and didn't make the layup, then it turned the tide and it went their way."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- K-State is off to a 1-3 start to a season for the first time since 2002-03.
- K-State is now 112-11 in non-conference play at home dating back to 2006-07 with wins in 99 of its last 108 non-conference home games.
- UNLV now leads the all-time series, 5-3… It was the first meeting between the schools in Manhattan since 1982… The schools split their home-and-home series that began in 2019 with each winning on the road.
- K-State is now 36-19 all-time against teams from the Mountain West, which includes a 21-3 mark at home… It was the first visit by a MWC school to Bramlage Coliseum since New Mexico in 2005.
- The Wildcats' starting lineup consisted of senior Mike McGuirl, sophomore DaJuan Gordon, freshman Nijel Pack, sophomore Antonio Gordon and sophomore Kaosi Ezeagu… This is the third straight game using this lineup this season… McGuirl has the longest current active start streak at 9 games.
Team Notes
- K-State scored its 58 points on a season-low 36.1 percent shooting (22-of-61), including 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from 3-point range, and connected on 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the free throw line.
- UNLV connected on an opponent-high 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field, including 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from 3-point range, and made 4-of-6 free throws… The 12 made 3-pointers were the most by an opponent since TCU made 15 on Feb. 15, 2020.
- K-State held a 32-30 edge in rebounding, including 14 offensive rebounds.
- K-State had a season-low 12 turnovers.
- K-State scored held advantages in points off turnovers (13-10), points in the paint (26-18), second-chance points (14-7) and bench points (17-5).
- Eight different players scored in a game, including 4 players with at least 7 points.
- K-State trailed in halftime for the second time this season, as the Rebels led 31-30 at the break.
Player Notes
- Senior Mike McGuirl scored a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and a 5-of-6 effort from the free throw line to go with 3 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist with 33 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 12 career games, including twice this season.
- Freshman Nijel Pack dished out a season-high 7 assists with zero turnovers to go with 9 points on 4-of-11 field goals to go with 5 rebounds in 35 minutes… Pack has had at least 9 points in all 4 games this season.
- Sophomore DaJuan Gordon scored 9 points on 3-of-9 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range with 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 34 minutes… Gordon has at least 9 points in 3 of 4 games.
- Sophomore Antonio Gordon matched his career-high 9 rebounds to go with 4 points, 1 assist and 1 steal.
- Junior Rudi Williams scored to a season-high 7 points on 3-of-7 field goals, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 16 minutes off the bench.
- Freshman Davion Bradford scored a season-high 5 points on 2-of-3 field goals to go with 2 rebounds.
WHAT'S NEXT
K-State is scheduled to continue its homestand on Friday night, as the Wildcats host Milwaukee (0-0) at 7 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. The game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.