After the Rebels won their first game of the season on Saturday, the squad looked to build on that momentum, taking on the Montana Grizzlies on Tuesday night as 10.5-point favorites. The spread would ultimately
be reversed, as UNLV struggled defensively, allowing Montana to win 102-93. This performance saw the Grizzlies shoot 37.5% from deep as a team.
The first half was back and forth, with both offenses showing out. UNLV found guard Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn balling out, who continued his strong start to the season by dropping 26 points, 20 of them coming in the second half, and two assists. The Rebels were down 47-45 at halftime.
Montana guard Money Williams was cash on the court, dropping 30 points on 12-of-23 shooting. Forward Te’Jon Sawyer added 18 points and nine rebounds, and Kenyon Aguino scored 15. The Grizzlies had five different players score in double digits, and as a team, they recorded 18 assists, capitalizing on UNLV’s weak defense.
The game remained close until halfway through the second half, when Montana went on a 14-4 run to bring their lead to double digits, and they never looked back. Williams was lights out from the midrange, and guard Tyler Thompson’s key three-point buckets fueled this run.
UNLV tried to bring it back behind forward Kimani Hamilton, who scored 16 points on an efficient 70% from the field. Forwards Ladji Dembele and Naas Cunningham added 10 and 13 points, respectively. In the effort, UNLV shot 50.7%, but missed ten free throws, which proved to be the difference maker in this game.
Montana dominated in rebounding, winning the battle 38-31. That was another key area that significantly impacted the outcome of this game. The Grizzlies had better shot selection and all the momentum on their side, which allowed them to pull away for the upset victory.
UNLV now falls to 1-2 on the season to start the Josh Pastner era. The team will look to rebound on Sunday, November 16, as they take on the Memphis Tigers on the road.
