Bench plays key role in win over BYU

The final statistics will show that Wink Adams had another big game against BYU with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. But the game ball … make that balls … for Saturday night’s key 75-74 win over the Cougars at the Thomas & Mack Center should go to a couple of UNLV bench players.

Sophomore Kendall Wallace (8 points, 5 rebounds) and senior swingman Mo Rutledge (13 points) both played huge roles in the victory which enabled the Rebels (20-7, 8-5) to complete a rare regular season sweep of the Cougars (20-6, 8-4) and climb back to within a half game of second place with three games to go.

BYU had just tied the game, 37-37, on a Lee Cummard dunk with 12:41 left when Wallace, emerged in a 1-for-14 3-point shooting slump over the last five games, nailed back-to-back difficult treys in a 16 second span to suddenly put the Rebels up by six, 43-37. UNLV never trailed again.

After Cummard answered with a 17-foot jumper of his own, Wallace then drove past the Cougar guard for another basket to put UNLV back ahead by six, 45-39.

All in all, Wallace scored eight points in just 54 seconds.

Rutledge hit a 3-pointer from left side of the key a few minutes later to up UNLV’s lead to eight, 51-43. He followed that up with a three-point play 45 seconds later that upped the Rebel lead to nine, 54-45.

Adams took it over from there, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers as the Rebels extended their lead to 12, 63-51, with 5:10 to go. Adams scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the final 17:20.

For the game, UNLV held a 21-6 edge in bench scoring.

“Mo came in and was able to post up some of the smaller guards and hit some free throws,” Adams said. “And when Kendall hit the two three’s back-to-back that really got everything started. It was definitely a big contribution off the bench.”

“(Wallace) was feeling it,” senior guard Rene Rougeau said. “He and Wink both went on their own little streaks … It was raining three’s.”

The victory gave UNLV just its second regular season sweep of BYU in school history and the first since 1998 when the two schools were both still members of the WAC.

“This is a good win in general,” Rougeau said. “We’re not worried about the sweep. We’re just thankful to come out with the win. … Coming off of that Wyoming loss, we definitely needed this one for sure.”

“A very big win,” Adams said. “BYU is a tough team to play whether its at their place or here. Whenever we play them it’s always a dogfight. Tonight was a big game especially coming off a loss.”

The Rebels made things interesting at the end of this one by converting just 7 of 14 free throw tries in the final 2:12 including the front end of a one-and-one by freshman guard Oscar Bellfield. Ironically, Bellfield, who was just 1-of-3 at the free throw line for the game, scored what proved to be the game-winning point on free throw with 7.3 seconds left that put UNLV up by four, 75-71.

Cummard made things very interesting, though, by hitting a trey with 3.5 seconds left. But BYU, which was out of timeouts, couldn’t call one to set up its defense. Instead, the Rebels quickly inbounded the ball downcourt to Adams who then dribbled around and ran out the clock before a Cougar could foul him.

“I’ll talk about the makes,” UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. “They gave us a one-point win. … It would have looked liked we made a lot more free throws if they didn’t bank a three in and throw (another) one in at the last. Give credit to BYU for doing that. Tonight it felt like we were getting a little better rhythm at the line. … I think we are getting ready to turn the corner at the line.”

UNLV shot 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from the line for the game.

The Rebels still find themselves in fifth place in the MWC with an 8-5 league mark but will have some company on Tuesday night after the Cougars (8-4) play at San Diego State (8-4). BYU and New Mexico, which also is 8-4, still have games remaining with first place Utah (10-2) as does UNLV on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City. And UNLV finishes the regular season on March 7 at San Diego State.

So there’s still plenty of basketball to be played. It should be a fun final two weeks to the finish line.