UNLV Runnin' Rebels Head Coach Josh Pastner: "Hard One To Swallow"

UNLV Runnin' Rebels and Fresno State head coaches Josh Pastner and Vance Walberg on the wild finish to their game.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels head coach Josh Pastner watches the action against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team is still recovering from a heartbreaking 98 - 96 loss to the Fresno State Bulldogs. It was a controversial loss marred by reviews and fouls in which the Bulldogs were able to come back and win at the buzzer, scoring seven unanswered points in the final six seconds of the game.

This was the Rebels' fourth consecutive loss as they continue to sink in the Mountain West Conference standings. We expect this loss to linger for a while, but they will have to put it behind them soon. '

Following the game, both UNLV head coach Josh Pastner and Fresno State head coach Vance Walberg spoke about the wild finish to the game.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels Head Coach On The Loss To The Fresno State Bulldogs

"Tough pill to swallow and a tough loss," Pastner said. "It's really disappointing as we had a chance to win and didn't get it done. We just kept fouling and they kept on getting to the free throw line. I knew going into those last six seconds, we had Naas (Cunningham) with four fouls and we didn't have anyone else to put in case he fouled out. We wanted to foul. That's not on the players, that's on me."

Pastner On The Late-Game Reviews

“Most I’ve ever been around,” Pastner said. “There was review after review after review by the officials, which really stopped the flow of the game a lot of times, but that’s their job. That’s their decisions to do that, and they have the right to do that.”

Pastner On The Flagrant Foul Review

“They told me he hit him on his neck. Everyone on the bench told me there was no flagrant. It was just a basketball play. He was trying to get open, but the refs called it, and that’s part of the deal.”

Pastner On Being Disappointed By The Outcome Of The Game

“Tough loss. Hard one to swallow there. Really disappointing. Had chances to win and just didn’t get it done.”

Fresno State Bulldogs Head Coach Vance Walberg On Their Wild Victory

“I can say 48 years in coaching, I’ve never seen that ... I came in (to the locker room) and said, ‘Great job!’” Walberg said. “The next thing I know, everybody had a water bottle on me. I am soaking wet right now, but I’ll take it any time.”

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