UNLV’s opener couldn’t have started much better: a double-digit first-half lead, an energetic crowd, and the debut of a new era under Josh Pastner. But the finish? Brutal.
Twenty-two turnovers, forty-eight opponent free throws, and a night that unraveled as fast as it built.
Now, four days later, the Rebels have a chance to reset. UNLV hosts Chattanooga tonight at 6 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center (Mountain West Network), facing a Mocs team that played less than 24 hours ago at Saint Mary’s.
“I give UT Martin tons of credit,” Pastner said Friday. “We got up nine, up ten, and were ready to bury them and we just didn’t finish the job. We took our foot off the gas and started doing uncharacteristic things with turnovers and fouling shooters.”
A Need to Course-Correct
Pastner’s review of Tuesday’s film was a mix of frustration and perspective.
“Things happen for a reason. Whatever that was, it happened for a reason,” he said. “We’ve got to course correct, get better, and we will. It’s one game. We’ve got to keep improving every time we step on the floor.”
UNLV practiced on Thursday and Friday with a reset emphasis on defensive discipline and ball security, two areas that completely broke down in the opener.
“We give each team five turnovers per practice after that, you run,” Pastner said. “We had 22 the other night. That’s just not who we’ve been. All summer we’ve been single digits. That’s what’s most frustrating. I hadn’t seen that once.”
The Rebels also sent UT Martin to the line 48 times, a number Pastner could barely process.
“We put them on the line 48 times,” he said. “If we cut that in half and don’t foul jump shooters five times, we probably win the game.”
Point Guard Chaos
Sunday night’s practice derailed UNLV’s original rotation plan when Junior Guard Myles Che went down with a foot injury.
“He just walked off, sat down, and started crying,” Pastner said. “You could tell it wasn’t a little thing. It was deflating. We had to stop practice and reorganize everything.”
Che, who was set to start the opener, will miss extended time. Freshman Isaac Williamson, the team’s other true point guard, also remains out.
“I signed two point guards, both are hurt,” Pastner said. “That’s not an excuse; it’s just part of the deal. We’ve got to figure it out and we will.”
Until then, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Al Green share the ball-handling duties, while Pastner reshuffles lineups and continues experimenting with pace.
UNLV’s current roster totals 15 players, 13 on scholarship, with only one returner (Jacob Bannarbie) from last year’s team.
Discipline and Depth
No player’s impact or absence looms larger than Kimani Hamilton. The Mississippi State / High Point transfer scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting before fouling out in 14 minutes.
“He needs to be playing 30 for us, not 14,” Pastner said. “He’s got to defend without fouling and protect his first foul. He changes the game for us.”
Pastner admitted that his normal substitution philosophy might not work with Hamilton’s foul history.
“I usually play guys with two fouls. I don’t save them,” he said. “But with him, it might have to be different. We’re just a different team when he’s on the floor.”
Off the bench, Bannarbie and Tyrin Jones provided key minutes, combining for 17 rebounds and steadying UNLV’s frontcourt.
“Jacob gave us really good minutes,” Pastner said. “He’s improved. And Tyrin’s going to be a big-time player. He missed three and a half months with a shoulder injury, so there are going to be ups and downs, but by December he’ll be really good.”
Chattanooga: Deep, Skilled, Dangerous
UNLV’s next opponent doesn’t offer much breathing room. Chattanooga (1-1) rolled Union College in its opener and then dropped last night’s matchup at Saint Mary’s, 87-66, snapping its six-game DI win streak.
The Mocs bring a squad led by head coach Dan Earl, now in his fourth season. They space the floor, move the ball, and shoot threes… lots of them.
Against Saint Mary’s:
42.3% FG, 33.3% 3PT (7-for-21), 15-for-19 FT
21 rebounds (their lowest total since 2024)
15 turnovers
24 points in the paint, 11 fast-break points
Leaders:
Teddy Washington Jr. – 13 pts (6-15 FG)
Billy Smith – 11 pts (3-5 3PT)
Jordan Frison – 10 pts, 6 assists, 0 turnovers
Latif Diouf – 8 pts, 1 steal in 18 minutes
“They’re really well coached,” Pastner said. “They run a great system, shoot a lot of threes, make a lot of threes. We’ll have to play with great defensive discipline.”
The Bigger Picture
Pastner keeps the message consistent: no panic, no shortcuts, and no illusions about the amount of growth that lies ahead.
“We’ve got a great group of guys: good people, high character,” he said. “It’s one game. Our North Star has to be the Mountain West; the regular season and the conference tournament. We’ve got to keep building toward that.”
For now, UNLV needs to look like itself again: cleaner, sharper, and more connected than it did Tuesday.
“We’ll respond,” Pastner said. “They’ll compete. We’ve just got to clean up the things we don’t do, turnovers and fouling shooters. We’ll get better.”
Game Info:
📍 Thomas & Mack Center
🕕 6:00 p.m. PT
📺 Mountain West Network
📊 UNLV (0-1) vs. Chattanooga (1-1)
