UNLV falls to San Diego State, 64-51

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (2) collides with San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Kris Clyburn (1) drives past San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) shoots a corner jump shot over San Diego State's Dakarai Allen (4) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) goes up and under the basket past San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Tyrell Green (3) shoots a baseline jump shot over San Diego State's D'Erryl Williams (11) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) converts a fast break layup past San Diego State's Matt Shrigley (20) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies argues a call during the Rebels home matchup with San Diego State on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) shoots over San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) drives baseline past San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) and Max Hoetzel (10) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (2) shoots a three point shot over San Diego State's Matt Shrigley (20) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) drives past San Diego State's Malik Pope (21) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) slices to the rim past San Diego State's Trey Kell (3) and Max Hoetzel (10) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) splits San Diego State defenders Malik Pope (21) and Max Hoetzel (10) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jovan Mooring (30) drives past San Diego State's Malik Pope (21) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Kris Clyburn (1) drives past San Diego State's Dakarai Allen (4) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) shoots a jump hook over San Diego State's Zylan Cheatham (14) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) drives past San Diego State's Valentine Izundu (45) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Christian Jones (20) shoots a jump shot over San Diego State's Zylan Cheatham (14) during the Rebels home matchup with the Aztecs on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

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By MARK ANDERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

January 17, 2017 - 10:01 pm

The weakest San Diego State basketball team in many seasons came to the Thomas & Mack Center and didn’t play well.

And beat UNLV by double digits.

The Aztecs slowly pulled away in the second half of Tuesday’s game, finally emerging with a 64-51 victory.

For a UNLV team hoping to build on its 71-66 upset victory at New Mexico a week earlier, the Rebels (9-10, 2-4 Mountain West) had their opportunities against the Aztecs (11-7, 3-3) but failed to capitalize.

The victory was San Diego State’s first on the road this season after an 0-for-5 start.

UNLV point guard Jovan Mooring was in foul trouble all night. He fouled out with 6:21 left, finishing with 10 points with four turnovers to one assist.

Jalen Poyser led the Rebels with 11 points, and three other players each scored 10. UNLV made just 35.7 percent of its shots.

Not that San Diego State sizzled. The Aztecs shot 41.5 percent, and Jeremy Hemsley scored only four points, 12 below his team-leading average.

Trey Kell led the Aztecs with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and his personal seven-point run turned a two-point lead into a 51-42 advantage with 8:11 left.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.