UNLV guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn poured in a career-high 33 points and the Runnin’ Rebels outlasted Boise State 89-85 in overtime on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at the Thomas & Mack Center. The win snapped UNLV’s two-game Mountain West skid and gave the Rebels their fifth straight home victory.
“It was a gritty win,” head coach Josh Pastner said postgame. “You have to be an elite competitor. You have to be a fighter… We found a way tonight through grit and toughness. It wasn’t pretty, but we found a way to win.”
A game that wouldn’t settle
UNLV, 8-8 overall and 3-2 in Mountain West play, carried a 40-39 lead into halftime, then spent the night in a tug-of-war that featured 18 lead changes and 19 ties. Boise State built a seven-point edge late in the first half, and UNLV never led by more than five in regulation.
0.2 seconds, then five more minutes
The Broncos forced overtime when Drew Fielder buried a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left to tie it 76-76. Pastner said he didn’t want to foul up three, then reminded his group what came next.
“Worst case the other way is overtime, and you get five more minutes to play,” Pastner said. “We get five more minutes. Let’s figure it out.”
Turnovers turned into fuel
UNLV created its biggest edge by speeding Boise State up. The Rebels forced 15 turnovers and turned them into 29 points, while Boise State scored 12 points off UNLV’s 13 giveaways.
That margin mattered because Boise State shot 49.2% overall and 59.1% in the second half. Fielder finished with 23 points, and Andrew Meadow added 21.
Overtime belonged to stops
UNLV won the extra session with poise, rebounds and timely buckets. Kimani Hamilton finished through contact, Howie Fleming Jr. drilled a 3, and UNLV answered every punch after an emotional sequence that included a technical on Emmanuel Stephen.
“Players play, but tough players win,” Tyrin Jones said. “That’s our mindset.”
Jones totaled six points, four rebounds and four steals, then erased chances late with three blocks. Fleming Jr. scored 17, Hamilton added 16, and Jacob Bannarbie snagged a game-high eight rebounds as UNLV won the glass 40-33 with 14 offensive boards.
Gibbs-Lawhorn also handed out six assists, and he pushed the standard higher afterward. “I’m still not satisfied,” he said. “I want games with 10 or 12 assists — that’s what great point guards do.”
What’s next for the Runnin’ Rebels
UNLV goes on the road for its next two Mountain West games, starting with a matchup at San Jose State on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. PT in San Jose, California on the Mountain West Network. The Rebels then head to Logan to face Utah State on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. PT on FS1. After that, UNLV returns to the Thomas & Mack Center to host San Diego State on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. PT on CBS.
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