Reno, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) -- A 10-0 UNLV run broke a late three-point game and broke Nevada's three-game winning streak of defeat to the Runnin Rebels in a 62-54 pack. After pulling within 50–47 of Nevada (12–14, 6–9 MW) and forcing the UNLV timeout to play with 6:57, the pack gained momentum.
The Nevada defense also forced a miss on UNLV's possession outside of the timeout, but Runnin's rebounds quickly reversed, with a steal from Bryce Hamilton leading to a fast-break dunk from David Mooka, who scored a 10-straight Points increased.
Playing without shooting guard Desmond Cambridge Jr., a late-scratched, packed offense struggled outside, going just 3-for-18 at depth. Outside of a strong comeback from Warren Washington, who went 6-for-9 off the ground and posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, the rest of the pack shot only 33.3 percent (17-for-51) overall.
Washington fought their way to halftime with six points and seven rebounds, as even the pack defense restricted UNLV to just 30.0 percent shooting, taking a 26-23 lead at the break.
But behind Bryce Hamilton, who ended the night with 27 points and eight rebounds, UNLV (17-11, 9-6 MW) came down 33-27 three-and-a-half minutes into the second half. Runnin' Rebels took seven points from Hamilton, a 13–1 run, who flipped the margin to play 12:29 at 40–34 with a six-point UNLV lead.
Nevada would score seven straight points, five coming from Grant Sherfield, to take their final lead of the night at 41-40. But that lead would be short-lived, with Hamilton's triple answering Sherfield's three-point game and running Runnin's rebounds in front for good.
Sherfield finished with a pack of 19 points, and passed eight assists, their third straight competition with at least eight assists.
Nevada sets out on a two-game road trip, starting at 5 p.m. Saturdays. PT in Wyoming, and closes with 6 p.m. next Tuesday, March 1. Tip in Boise State.