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UNLV’s exhibition against Lincoln (CA) went exactly how a mismatch should: fast, decisive, and over by halftime. The Rebels rolled to a 123-59 win at the Thomas & Mack Center, showing glimpses of the identity head coach Josh Pastner wants to build: unselfish offense, relentless rebounding, and competitive energy from start to finish.
Still, for all the positives, Pastner made it clear: there’s plenty to clean up. Against a far inferior opponent, UNLV’s transition defense and attention to detail weren’t always at the level he expected.
“The open man’s the go-to man,” Pastner said. “We had 34 assists - that’s what we want. The ball can’t stick. But we’ve got to be better in transition defense, and we’ve got to crowd the floor in the half court. That’s an area we’ll be focused on right away.”
Fast, Fluid, and Sharing the Ball
UNLV’s offensive numbers tell the story.
The Rebels shot 51.5% from the field, went 11-of-29 from three, and finished with 34 assists on 50 made baskets. They pushed tempo all night, outscoring Lincoln 26-4 in fast-break points and piling up 78 points in the paint.
The scoring was balanced across the board:
30 piece and a hammer 👀
— #UNLV Men's Basketball (#@TheRunninRebels)
3:29 AM • Oct 29, 2025
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn: 31 points (12-16 FG, 5-8 3PT), seven assists, zero turnovers
Naas Cunningham: 23 points, six rebounds, five assists
Al Green: 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists
Jacob Bannarbie: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Kimani Hamilton: 13 points, five rebounds
Walter Brown: 9 points, 14 rebounds (9 offensive)
TURN ME UP NAAS 🫨
— #UNLV Men's Basketball (#@TheRunninRebels)
3:43 AM • Oct 29, 2025
Even playing out of position, Gibbs-Lawhorn and Green handled the point guard duties efficiently, combining for 15 assists to one turnover.
“Those two aren’t natural point guards,” Pastner said. “But they did an unbelievable job controlling the game, running our team, and making others better.”
Owning the Glass
The Rebels dominated the boards, 72-31, grabbing 28 offensive rebounds and converting them into 16 second-chance points. Brown, Bannarbie, Fleming, and Green all reached double-digit rebounds, the kind of effort Pastner said has to be the program’s trademark.
“Offensive rebounding has to be who we are,” he said. “Second and third opportunities - that’s effort, toughness, and competitiveness.”
Defensive Effort - Strong Numbers, Mixed Execution
UNLV forced 20 turnovers, recorded 13 steals and nine blocks, and held Lincoln to 28% shooting from the field and just 23% from three. Still, Pastner wasn’t satisfied.
There were moments, especially early, when rotations were a step slow and the Rebels gave up transition looks they won’t survive against Mountain West opponents.
“There’s a difference between playing hard and competing,” Pastner said. “Competitive excellence is our standard. We can’t just play to the scoreboard.. we have to play to our standard for the full 40 minutes.”
That message was driven home early, when Gibbs-Lawhorn was benched briefly after a lackluster defensive possession. His response? Twenty-nine points after that moment, and high-level engagement on both ends.
“It wasn’t about offense,” Pastner said. “He came back, defended at a high level, and because of that, his offense opened up. That’s how it’s supposed to work.”
Fresh Faces, Early Promise
Freshman Tyrin Jones chipped in seven points and seven rebounds, offering flashes of the athleticism that has Pastner so high on his potential.
“He’s only scratching the surface,” Pastner said. “He’s going to get better every game. There will be ups and downs, but by December, he can be a real difference-maker for us.”
The Standard Moving Forward
UNLV’s exhibition performance checked nearly every box you’d expect against an overmatched opponent: pace, depth, balance, and effort. But Pastner’s postgame tone made it clear that “good” isn’t the goal.
This team wants its habits to translate, and that means defending, rebounding, and sharing the ball against real Division I competition.
“We played like the Runnin’ Rebels tonight,” Pastner said. “But we’re chasing consistency. The standard is competitive excellence. That’s what we have to live by.”
UNLV opens its regular season next week at the Thomas & Mack, carrying a 64-point exhibition win and a coach determined to make sure it means more than the margin.
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