LAS VEGAS, NV – In the final game before WCC play, the San Diego men's basketball team (7-6) dropped a road game at UNLV (8-5), 80-57. The Runnin' Rebels were led by junior forward Donovan Williams and senior guard Bryce Hamilton, who each scored 20 points.
Graduate center
Terrell Brown-Soares led the Toreros with 16 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Brown-Soares made 8-of-11 field goal attempts.
Senior
Marcellus Earlington went into double-figures for the team-leading 10
th time this season, ending with 14 points and two rebounds.
Redshirt senior
Vladimir Pinchuk contributed eight points and six rebounds in the loss. Graduate
Josh Parrish added six points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
San Diego falls to 7-6 on the season, and will host #4 Gonzaga on December 30 for the WCC opener.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After the team traded free throws to open the game, UNLV registered a 7-0 run to go up 9-2. Back-to-back Pinchuk buckets quickly cut the deficit to three.
- UNLV used a short run to extend its lead, but USD answered with two dunks and two blocks from Brown-Soares.
- The Runnin' Rebels went on a 15-4 run midway through the first half to take a 13-point advantage.
- A 7-0 run, including a layup at the buzzer, gave UNLV a 42-24 lead at halftime.
- San Diego missed its first 12 three-point field goal attempts. Earlington knocked down two triples in less than two minutes to make it 59-44 with 9:48 left.
- UNLV made six free throws over the last 2:29 to seal the win.
TORERO TIDBITS
- Earlington leads the Toreros with ten games in double-figures and 13.6 points per game.
- Brown-Soares is now averaging 8.2 points and 7.7 rebounds. With another two blocks today, he is up to 31 on the season. He came into the contest ranking 11th in the NCAA with 3.22 blocks per game.
- UNLV made 23-of-27 free throw attempts.
- The Runnin' Rebels had a slight 40-37 advantage in rebounds.
- The San Diego bench scored 28 points.
UP NEXT
USD returns home to face No. 4 Gonzaga on December 30 at 7:00 PM PT. The Bulldogs hold a 77-21 lead in the all-time series, including 12 straight wins.
