Well, it didn’t come down to a last possession this time.
UNLV’s men’s basketball team lost its fifth straight game Tuesday night by a 71-62 final to Boise State at Thomas & Mack Center.
The previous four losses for the Rebels — who slipped to 11-12 overall and 5-7 in the Mountain West — were by a combined 15 points.
Things weren’t so much in doubt with this one.
The Broncos (16-7, 8-4) opened up a 40-29 lead with a 7-0 run to begin the second half before UNLV called timeout.
The Rebels had a cold streak hit hard. They missed 19 of 21 shots over the last few minutes of the first half and the first six of the second. Missed their first 10 coming out of intermission.
But they managed a rally behind sophomore point guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who scored all but three of his team-high 20 points in the second half.
It still wasn’t enough. Boise State pulled away at the end.
It was Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry who led the way over the first 20 minutes for UNLV. He scored 13 in the half, including a few thunderous dunks. He finished with 19.
The Broncos took their largest lead of the half at eight points following three straight baskets — including two 3s — from Tyson Degenhart to make it 33-25.
Boise State carried a 33-29 advantage into intermission.
Degenhart, an all-conference performer, led Boise State with 10 points in the half.
The Rebels talked on Monday about the importance of staying even on the boards with Boise State, one of the more physical sides in the Mountain West.
The Broncos held a 23-18 rebounding lead at the half, They managed eight on the offensive end, one more than the Rebels.
For the game, Boise State outrebounded UNLV 45-34.
“On a positive note, we can beat anybody in the league,” senior guard Julian Rishwain said following practice Monday. “We’re in every single one of these (last four) games, even on the road. Even when we get hit and we’re down 8, 10, 12, we stay in it. We keep fighting.
“That’s one of the biggest things to take away from these games. It’s not like we’re getting blown out, and when it comes to the end, they’re making a tough shot and we’re not. Just keep believing that we’re right in it. We can beat anybody and also let a few plays go by and lose.”
It was more than a few plays Tuesday. It was more of what UNLV didn’t do. Like shooting 1 of 16 on 3s. Like shooting 38 percent for the game.
This was coach Kevin Kruger on Monday:
“We’ve played some good basketball, and that’s kind of the focus — just continue to play good basketball,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve been on the short end of a couple here. We’ve either been tied or had a lead with three minutes or less in each of them. You’re going to hopefully find yourself in a lot of those situations.
“We’re a good team. We’ve just fallen short here in the last couple of ones. We’re going to hang on the positives that putting ourselves in those positions and being in those games is going to benefit us here as we come down to the second half of the schedule in conference as the season gets closer to the end.”
They weren’t a very good team Tuesday in many areas. And for it, the Rebels suffered a fifth straight loss. Next up: at Wyoming on Saturday.
Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X