Small-ball lineup fuels Rebels to dominant win over Colorado State

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Steve Marcus

UNLV Rebels guard Bryce Hamilton (13) dunks in the first half of a game against San Jose State at the Thomas & Mack Center Wednesday, Jan. !5, 2020.

Tue, Feb 18, 2020 (10:30 p.m.)

For UNLV fans who have followed the Rebels all season, Tuesday’s dominant 80-56 win over Colorado State certainly raised a lot of questions. Such as:

Was that seldom-used 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Jay Green not only playing center, but ripping down rebounds and leading the break like Earvin Johnson? Yes it was.

Did offensive-minded Bryce Hamilton just sprint the floor to block a breakaway layup from behind — while his team was ahead by 31 points? Yes he did.

Did the super-small Rebels really outrebound Colorado State — led by the nation’s No. 10 board man — by a 46-26 margin? Why yes, yes they did.

And perhaps the most valid (and most exciting) query — how far can the new-look Rebels ride this momentum?

Injuries may have forced UNLV into playing small-ball, but head coach T.J. Otzelberger is embracing it, and that free-flowing style may have unlocked something in this Rebels group. They played most of Tuesday’s contest with four guards on the floor together, and CSU had no answers as UNLV shot 50.0 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.

With the floor spaced and the Colorado State defense stretched beyond the breaking point, the Rebels’ collection of guards were able to penetrate and pass at will, resulting in 19 assists on 33 made baskets.

Otzelberger commended his crowded backcourt for making the right play time and time again.

“I thought our guys did a great job sharing the basketball,” Otzelberger said. “Probably our most complete game of the year.”

After Colorado State scored the first two buckets of the game to take a 5-0 lead, UNLV ripped off a 23-5 run to take control. The Rebels led by 22 points at the half, and with the four-guard attack working to perfection, they never let CSU get closer than 24 points the rest of the way.

Bryce Hamilton scored a game-high 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting, while Elijah Mitrou-Long came off the bench and gave UNLV 30 dynamic minutes (16 points, six assists).

The win improved UNLV to 9-6 in conference play and 14-14 overall. The Rebels are now tied for fourth place in the Mountain West standings, even with Colorado State and Boise State.

Despite playing four and even five guards for the majority of the game, UNLV imposed its will on defense and on the glass. CSU was held to 40.8 percent shooting and the Rebels forced 13 turnovers, which fueled UNLV’s transition game; though the Rebels tallied just 10 fast-break points, they controlled tempo and consistently kept the CSU defense off balance.

With two straight wins since turning to the four-guard lineups, it’s fair to ask if the Rebels might be peaking at the right time.

Otzelberger didn’t want to take any credit for the late-season surge, instead pointing to his players’ continued efforts in practice.

“I’m not smart enough to create a formula to make our guys do that,” Otzelberger said. “To play the best and most complete game in mid-February, as we move forward that’s a really good sign. Something we can build on but not rest on. We’ve got to get back to the practice floor and keep going, but I’m proud of them because this time of the year a lot of teams decide to go one way or the other. Our guys have focused each day and want to get better. It’s a good sign.”

Shooting guards Amauri Hardy scored 11 points and Jonah Antonio chipped in nine. Point guard Marvin Coleman posted six points and eight rebounds.

The Rebels will get a chance to test themselves against the best team in the conference on Saturday, when they travel to take on undefeated San Diego State. The version of UNLV that wiped the floor with Colorado State might be able to put a good scare into SDSU.

Mitrou-Long is happy that his team seems to be playing its best ball when it matters most.

“There’s three things that teams do: either you get better, you get worse or you stay the same," Mitrou-Long said. “I think our team is getting better.”

“It feels good,” he continued. “March Madness is different and anyone can win at any given time.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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