Rebels tested by ‘stubborn’ Cowboys

The plan was simple for Wyoming on Saturday night: Don’t suffer an early knockout by UNLV.

The Cowboys wobbled in the first few minutes but managed to hold it together, right up to the end when Larry Nance Jr.’s attempt to tie it in the final seconds rimmed out, giving the Rebels a 48-46 victory in an ugly, grind-it-out game at the Thomas &Mack Center.

“We knew we were going to be facing 15,000 lunatics and a team that was going to be emotionally charged up after the way they played last game (a loss at Colrado State),” said Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt. “We talked for two days about the first seven minutes, getting their best shot and finding a way to stay the course.”

UNLV led 12-6 4 minutes, 54 seconds into the game, and the crowd of 13,863 implored the Rebels to finish Wyoming then and there. But the Cowboys regrouped and pulled even at 14 with 7:21 left in the first half.

Despite a rash of turnovers, bricked 3-point shots and Nance tweaking his groin early, reducing him to a one-legged player, the Cowboys were right where they wanted to be, controlling tempo and turning things into a methodical, deliberate game.

“Resiliency and connectiveness — that’s what we’re all about,” guard Josh Adams said. “We’ve been in dogfights all year, and we knew this would be the same thing. But we bring the same effort every night.”

Even when UNLV led 41-34 with 6:43 to play, the Rebels knew it would take more to knock out Wyoming. But the KO never came.

Even less than 100 percent, Nance was a force. He was dunking. He was blocking shots. He was rebounding. He and Derek Cooke Jr. combined for 13 boards as the Cowboys played UNLV even on the glass 25-25.

“We had a presence at the rim with Derek and Nance, and we had that protection of the rim most of the night,” Shyatt said. “That’s what kept us in it. We had just enough rebounds by committee, but it was those two guys on the help side making sure they didn’t get any easy baskets, because that’s what Vegas gets.”

Nance, who finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, said playing through pain is part of the game.

“A lot of it is mental,” he said. “You’ve got to focus on what you’re doing and just block it out.”

Despite the numbers working against the Cowboys — they didn’t shoot a free throw until 9:22 remained and attempted just five overall — they still had a chance at the end because of their defense.

“We’re incredibly stubborn,” Nance said. “That’s what defense does. If we can hold you down, we’re going to have a chance to win.”

Nance had that chance, as the Cowboys ran a post-up play for him about 8 feet from the basket. Nance got good position on Khem Birch, and it looked as if overtime was pending.

But his shot rimmed out with two seconds left, and Wyoming had suffered yet another excruciating loss in dropping to 5-5 in the Mountain West and 14-9 overall.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.