UNLV Runnin' Rebels Down The San Jose State Spartans At Home

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team got the job done on Tuesday night and beat the San Jose State Spartans at the Thomas & Mack Center by a score of 82 - 75. This was a game they were supposed to win, but those games haven't always come easily this season for an inconsistent Rebels squad. So it was a big step in the right direction. With this win, the Rebels move back above .500 at 7 - 6 in Mountain West Conference play and 12 - 12 overall.

With this loss, San Jose State dropped to just 1 - 12 in the Mountain West and 6 - 18 overall. It's been a rough year for the Spartans, but they could play spoiler and upset a few teams down the stretch as they begin to get healthy.

Following the crucial home win, UNLV head coach Josh Pastner spoke about the win.

"Good win for the Rebels. Winning is hard," Pastner said. "I was really proud of our guys. I'm not happy with our win-loss record, but we have improved. From where we were at the beginning of November to where we are now, we are a better team. That's a testament to our guys."

UNLV dominated this game in the paint, which Pastner had to love to see. The Rebels outscored the Spartans by a ridiculous 40 - 14 in the paint, out-rebounded them 43 - 34, and blocked seven of their shots compared to just four blocks from San Jose State. It was a dominant and gritty performance in the paint from the Rebels. They played the way they have been talking about playing all season, and it was great to see. This team really seems to be coming together at the right time. With already having wins over the Grand Canyon Lopes and on the road over the Utah State Aggies, you can't say that they can't make noise in the Mountain West Tournament when they play the way they're supposed to.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn once again led the team with 24 points on 10 - 19 shooting, going 4 - 8 from beyond the three-point line, and chipping in with four rebounds, five assists, and three steals. However, it was senior forward Kimani Hamilton who was the star of this game. He scored 23 points on 6 - 9 shooting, 3 - 4 from three, and 8 - 9 from the free-throw line. Hamilton also posted a double-double with 10 rebounds and four assists.

It's also worth noting that Tyrin Jones returned in this game and came off the bench to play 24 minutes. He scored 13 points on 6 - 8 shooting, with four rebounds and three blocks. His presence is a huge boost for the Rebels, and we'd expect him back in the starting lineup soon.

More UNLV Rebels On SI News