Rebels coast in tuneup

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Running the floor and facing little resistance, Oscar Bellfield and Tre’Von Willis helped UNLV make quick work of an outclassed opponent Wednesday night.

Willis scored 14 points and Bellfield 13 as the Rebels rolled to an 80-59 victory over winless Holy Cross before 10,946 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"Right now, everything is clicking as far as guys making plays," Willis said. "We’re trying to be aggressive and take the fight to them. That’s our identity."

Now it’s time for UNLV (4-0) to step up in class for a big test against 16th-ranked Louisville on Saturday.

So far, the Rebels are looking good, but coach Lon Kruger soon will learn a lot more about his team.

"It’s an opportunity to play one of the top teams in the country … and we have to continue to get better to have a chance," Kruger said.

The Cardinals and coach Rick Pitino already are in Las Vegas and seeking revenge. Bellfield and Willis played key roles in UNLV’s stunning 56-55 upset at Louisville on New Year’s Eve.

"Obviously, that’s a big-time team, and everybody is excited," Willis said. "It’s a good measuring stick for us."

Kruger watched his two youngest guards, Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins, continue to grow in the blowout win. Marshall finished with 14 points, including 11 in the second half, and Hawkins had 12 points.

"Anthony and Justin are both very poised for being just freshmen," Kruger said.

The Rebels shot 49 percent (32-for-65) from the field and extended their trapping defense to overwhelm the Crusaders (0-5) of the Patriot League.

UNLV scored 32 points off 24 turnovers by Holy Cross, and the Rebels held a 14-0 advantage in fast-break points.

"Our plan is to pressure as much as we can and force turnovers," said Bellfield, who hit 3 of 8 3-pointers. "We wanted to keep the pressure on them."

In a 75-second span to open the second half, Bellfield scored on a layup and then dished to Willis for a breakaway dunk. The Rebels, who took a 40-28 lead into halftime, slowly built their lead until Bellfield’s 3-pointer from the corner made the score 67-46 with 7:44 remaining.

"We got out in transition and made some plays," Kruger said. "The important thing is to get better, and I think in some areas we did."

The Crusaders, led by guard Mike Cavataio’s 13 rebounds, held a 40-36 edge on the boards, which disappointed Kruger. UNLV shot 4-for-20 on 3-pointers, failing to knock down several open looks against a zone defense.

"We had to have a good start, and we came out strong," Bellfield said.

The Rebels shot 8-for-11 from the field to start the game, a stretch that included a steal and slam by senior forward Darris Santee.

Hawkins hit a 3-pointer from the top to put UNLV up 24-14 with 9:09 left. Bellfield’s 3 pushed the lead to 36-22 at the 3:39 mark.

R.J. Evans led Holy Cross with 13 points, but he made just 4 of 12 free throws. Free-throw shooting also was an area in which the Rebels were lacking, making just 12 of 24.

UNLV coasted by against a far inferior team on Wednesday, but a sharper performance will be required of the Rebels on Saturday.

"Once the buzzer sounded and we got in the locker room," Bellfield said, "that’s when we really started thinking about Louisville."

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.

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