UNLV’s Bryce Hamilton scores 32 but Rebels fall to Boise State

“We put a lot on his plate,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said. “We ask him to make a lot of big plays, a lot of big shots and he’s answered the bell every time.”

But against Mountain West co-leader Boise State, it wasn’t enough.

Just like he has most of the season, Hamilton filled up the stat sheet Friday night as the Rebels took on the Broncos at ExtraMile Arena. However, UNLV wasn’t able to keep up as it lost 69-63.

Hamilton scored 32 points, the rest of the Rebels combined for 31. Despite the loss, coach Kevin Kruger praised his team’s effort against one of the best teams in the Mountain West.

“I don’t think they’ll have any trouble sleeping tonight,” he said. “They competed like crazy. Now, of course, we have a few things we’d like to do differently, but that’s part of learning. That’s part of the reason Boise’s where Boise’s at.”

Unlike in its win Tuesday, UNLV got off to a quick start Friday. Fifth-year guard Michael Nuga scored seven quick points and Hamilton completed a four-point play after being fouled on a shot from deep to put the Rebels (14-11, 6-6 Mountain West) up 13-4.

Boise State hit back fast, though. Facing the second unit, the Broncos went on a quick six-point run. Missing forward Donovan Williams and facing the best rebounding team in the conference, UNLV struggled in the paint. Boise State had five offensive rebounds before halftime.

The Broncos (19-5, 9-1) pounded the ball down low, playing through redshirt senior center Mladen Armus. He put pressure on the rim and when he missed, Boise State was often right there for the offensive rebound. Armus scored eight points in the first half, and the Broncos added seven points on second-chance possessions. Boise State scored 18 of its 29 first-half points in the paint.

Just as Boise State seemed poised to snatch back the lead, Hamilton took over. He was perfect from 3-point range in the first half and slashed to the rim. An array of lefty finishes, combined with his spin-move counter, helped Hamilton take UNLV into the break up 36-29. The senior had 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the first 20 minutes.

“He’s unique,” Kruger said. “He can get in the paint and finish shots we wouldn’t want most people taking, but we encourage him to do it. He carries the workload, plays a lot of minutes, but his efficiency continues to get better.”

It didn’t take long for the Broncos to erase the deficit. Less than four minutes into the second half, Boise State had the lead. Hamilton was called for two quick offensive fouls and on a UNLV breakaway, junior Victor Iwaukor was called for a technical foul.

Hamilton re-entered and kept UNLV in the game. He and senior Royce Hamm Jr. both hit shots from distance, part of a barrage from the Rebels. They shot 37.5 percent from 3-point range and held the Broncos to just 20 percent, including a 1-for-9 performance in the first half.

But the Broncos had the advantage at the free-throw line. UNLV shot just seven free throws and committed 24 personal fouls. Boise State took 29 trips to the line, making 23 attempts.

Once again, Hamilton led the Rebels in scoring. Nuga added 12 points. McCabe scored nine points and had six assists. No other UNLV player had more than five.

Boise State had four double-figure scorers led by fifth-year forward Abu Kigab, who scored 18 points and nailed crucial free throws to seal the game.

UNLV plays at Fresno State on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.