UNLV’s home crowd finally got the show it came to see. After an uneven opener, the Runnin’ Rebels responded with a dominant 101-69 win over Chattanooga on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, which is their first 100-point outing against a Division I opponent since November 25, 2017 (Southern Utah).
Josh Pastner's team played like a different group than what we saw Tuesday night. They were poised, connected, and aggressive from the tip to the final horn. The Rebels shot 56 percent from the field, dominated the glass (42-20), and registered 23 assists on just 8 turnovers. A drastic reversal from Tuesday's loss to UT Martin.
“Really proud of our young men on a bounce back,” Pastner said. “We got better from Tuesday to today, and that’s what we’ve got to do every time we step on the floor — just continue to improve.”
Cunningham’s Breakout, Hamilton’s Control
Freshman Naas Cunningham looked every bit the five-star talent, scoring 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting and connecting from all over the floor. His 12-point burst midway through the second half helped stretch a 12-point lead into a blowout.
Pastner said Cunningham’s performance was earned through preparation.
“He practiced the right way Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning,” Pastner said. “There’s a direct correlation. You can’t turn it on and off.”
Meanwhile, Kimani Hamilton anchored the interior with 19 points and 9 rebounds, staying out of foul trouble after three straight games limited by whistles.
“We need him on the floor for 30-plus minutes,” Pastner said. “He’s a difference maker on both ends.”
Breakout Performers: Cunningham, Bannarbie, and the Bench
UNLV’s depth and energy told the story of the night. Beyond Cunningham’s highlight performance, Jacob Bannarbie delivered one of his best games of his Rebel career: a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a pair of rim-runs that shifted momentum.
Pastner didn’t hide his excitement about the sophomore forward’s development.
“From the first workout in April to now, Jacob has gotten better and better,” he said. “He’s taken advantage of his minutes, and that’s the whole point of player development and getting better every day.”
Bannarbie’s minutes fueled a second-unit surge that produced 42 bench points and a constant rebounding presence inside. His combination of effort, length, and timing gave UNLV an interior spark it sorely missed in the opener.
“He’s not just filling minutes, he’s earning them,” Pastner added. “That’s the type of progress that helps us win in March.”
Point Guard by Committee
With both of UNLV’s true point guards sidelined, Pastner leaned on Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Howie Fleming Jr. to run the offense. The duo delivered, combining for 26 points, 8 assists, and only 3 turnovers.
“For Dre and Howie, that’s not their natural position,” Pastner said. “But both were outstanding tonight. They defended, they rebounded, and they took care of everyone else.”
Fleming finished with 13 points and 6 assists on a perfect shooting night (3-for-3). Gibbs-Lawhorn added 13 and a pair of early steals that set the tone.
Depth, Discipline, and a Statement on the Glass
UNLV’s bench outscored Chattanooga’s 42-25, led by Bannarbie’s career night and Tyrin Jones’s late spark capped by a dunk that ignited the Mack.
The Rebels controlled the paint 46-28 and turned 16 offensive boards into 22 second-chance points.
“We wanted to be intentional about throwing it inside and dominating the paint,” Pastner said. “That was one of the adjustments from Tuesday and it worked.”
The Little Things: Ball Movement, Stops, and the ‘Bubble’
Pastner said UNLV recorded seven separate “three-stops-in-a-row” sequences defensively, one of the staff’s key internal goals. He also awarded Hamilton and Fleming the right to “sign the bubble,” a team tradition tied to rebounding effort.
“The open man is the go-to man, and the go-to man is the open man,” Pastner said. “Simplicity is powerful.”
By the Numbers
Category | UNLV | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
Field Goals | 55.9% (33-59) | 45.3% (24-53) |
3-Point FG | 36.4 % (8-22) | 33.3 % (9-27) |
Free Throws | 27-37 (73%) | 12-15 (80%) |
Rebounds | 42 (16 OR) | 20 (5 OR) |
Assists | 23 | 16 |
Turnovers | 8 | 12 |
Points in Paint | 46 | 28 |
Bench Points | 42 | 25 |
Up Next
UNLV (1-1) will look to carry the momentum into Tuesday night’s matchup against Montana at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT.
“Bottom line is we got better from Tuesday to today,” Pastner said. “Now we’ve got to get better from today to Tuesday and then better again after that.”
Final: UNLV 101, Chattanooga 69
Leaders: Cunningham 25, Hamilton 19, Fleming 13, Gibbs-Lawhorn 13, Bannarbie 10
Attendance: 4,896 | Location: Thomas & Mack Center
Pastner Postgame Media:
