An 11-0 run to open the second half helped Rutgers take control of an 80-65 win over UNLV on Thursday at the Players Era men’s tournament in Las Vegas.
Rutgers (5-3) salvaged a victory after two losses in the tournament. UNLV (3-5) went 0-3 at the event.
Emmanuel Ogbole’s career-best totals of 21 points and 13 rebounds led the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers received 17 points and eight rebounds from Dylan Grant and held the lead for the final 16:41 of the game.
UNLV had four players score in double figures, getting 13 points apiece from Kimani Hamilton, Tyrin Jones and Al Green.
Rutgers outrebounded UNLV 45-33 and led 16-7 in second-chance points. The Rebels’ struggles in the paint continued, as they are missing several injured players who help with their inside depth.
UNLV cut the lead to 51-47 with 11:24 to play, but Rutgers went on another momentum-swinging run to rebuild its lead to 12.
Darren Buchanan Jr. scored 10 of his 15 points in the final five minutes of the game to seal Rutgers’ win. Four came when he sank a 3-pointer while being fouled by Hamilton and made the subsequent free throw.
Rutgers led by four points in the opening minutes, but UNLV jumped in front 27-25 on a 3-pointer by Naas Cunningham with 4:44 left until halftime.
The Rebels got six consecutive points, including a dunk, from Green to take a 35-29 lead at the 1:58 mark. And when Issac Williamson hit Hamilton for an alley-oop jam off a turnover with 16 seconds to go, UNLV took a 39-33 lead into halftime.
Rutgers seized control after the break and never gave the lead back, outscoring UNLV 47-26 in the second half.
–Field Level Media
