UNLV falls to San Diego State, sets school record for most losses in a season
SAN DIEGO — When UNLV began its storied basketball program in 1958, it initially didn’t go so well, with the Rebels losing their first nine games.
They wouldn’t know such misery again until now, with Sunday’s 77-64 loss to San Diego State at Viejas Arena extending the Rebels’ skid to seven games and setting a school record for most defeats in a season.
UNLV (10-17, 3-11 Mountain West) had lost 16 games in a season twice, in 1994-95 and 1995-96. This is the longest UNLV losing streak since that 1958-59 season in which the Rebels went 5-13.
Next up is a battle to stay out of last season. The Rebels visit Air Force at 6 p.m. PST Wednesday, and both cellar dwellers have identical overall and conference records.
The Rebels, however, didn’t make life easy for San Diego State (16-10, 8-6). UNLV, which trailed by as many as 17 points, even got to within six on Jovan Mooring’s off-balance 3-pointer with 4:42 left. But then the Aztecs’ Trey Kell knocked down a step-back 19-footer as the shot clock was winding down to extend the lead back to eight points.
UNLV never seriously threatened again.
Mooring led the Rebels with 26 points, and Uche Ofoegbu had 13. Malik Pope lead San Diego State with 17 points, and Jeremy Hemsley and Matt Shrigley each scored 16.
UNLV guard Jalen Poyser didn’t play because he broke a team rule, coach Marvin Menzies said. Forward Troy Baxter Jr. didn’t play and is out an extended period because of a foot injury.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.
