Pastner, Rebels show what's possible in OT win over Nevada

LAS VEGAS — For one electric Saturday afternoon inside the Thomas & Mack Center, UNLV basketball looked like the program Josh Pastner envisioned when he stepped away from the television lights and back into the fire of the sideline. The Runnin’ Rebels needed every second—plus five bonus minutes—to subdue Nevada 85-83 in overtime, but the result offered a glimpse of what consistency can produce even in an otherwise uneven season.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, pressed into point-guard duties after the preseason loss of Myles Che to a broken foot, delivered the performance of his life: a career-high 42 points that carried the Rebels to their third overtime victory in as many tries this year and lifted the team to 15-14 overall, 9-9 in Mountain West play.

“What a win,” Pastner said afterward. “Defensively, our guys executed the game plan. We got it done. Our defense allowed us to get our offense going.”

The script was familiar for anyone who has watched UNLV this season: bursts of energy followed by lulls that have left the Rebels near the bottom of the league in scoring defense (78.8 points per game), defensive rebounding (34.8) and free-throw percentage (69 percent). Yet against Nevada, the home team avoided the sleepwalking stretches that have plagued them. UNLV led 54-47 midway through the second half, absorbed a 12-0 Wolf Pack counterpunch, then clawed back to a 67-65 edge in the final three minutes of regulation.

In the extra period Gibbs-Lawhorn fouled out with 14 seconds left, but senior guard Tyrin Jones provided the dagger, driving for the go-ahead layup. Nevada’s Tyler Rolison had a last-second three to win it; the shot rimmed out, sending 7,760 fans—the largest crowd of the year—into a roar that has rarely echoed through the arena this season.

“We fought,” Gibbs-Lawhorn said. “We had a complete focus and held each other accountable.”

The victory does not change the math: UNLV still must win four games in four days at next week’s Mountain West tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. It does, however, reinforce Pastner’s belief that the pieces—when engaged—can compete with anyone.

Whether the Rebels can replicate Saturday’s urgency on a nightly basis remains the central question of Pastner’s first season back. For one day, the answer was yes, and the Thomas & Mack responded in kind.