UNLV basketball team loses exhibition opener
The UNLV men’s basketball team opened Josh Pastner’s first season as coach Sunday with a 77-62 exhibition loss to Washington at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.
Freshman Hannes Steinbach scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half and had 16 rebounds for the Huskies, who shot 52.5 percent and never trailed.
Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 14 points and Naas Cunningham 11 for the Rebels, who shot 33.8 percent while missing 25 of 32 3-point tries. They were down 39-25 at halftime, and their biggest deficit was 18 points — at 67-49 — with 5:33 left.
Bryson Tucker had 14 points, Wesley Yates 11 and freshman JJ Mandaquit nine points and 12 assists for Washington. The Huskies held a 44-33 edge in rebounds, including 29-18 on the defensive end, and outscored UNLV 44-28 in the paint. Jacob Bannarbie, with six, was the Rebels’ leading rebounder.
Howie Fleming Jr. and Walter Brown scored nine points apiece for UNLV, which committed 11 turnovers while forcing 16. The Rebels had a 13-8 edge in points off turnovers.
UNLV plays its final exhibition game Oct. 28, when it hosts Oakland, California-based Lincoln University at the Thomas &Mack Center at 7 p.m. The Rebels’ regular season opens Nov. 4 with a 7 p.m. home game against Tennessee-Martin.
