UNLV loses to Davidson in final game of Maui Invitational

Bryce Hamilton almost did it.

The UNLV junior guard came oh-so-close to lifting UNLV to victory in a game in which it trailed for 34:04. Hamilton scored 11 points in the final 1:30, but the Rebels fell just short, losing 77-73 to Davidson in the seventh-place game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday in Asheville, North Carolina.

UNLV (0-4) exits the tournament in last place after losses to No. 14 North Carolina, Alabama and Davidson (2-2). The defeats raise a lot of questions about a team that was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West. The late game spurt, however, showed the Rebels still have potential if they’re able to put some things together.

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. UNLV shows fight

The Rebels looked outmatched for much of the game.

Davidson’s complex offense created easy looks through cuts early on and its defense didn’t concede an inch of space. The Wildcats had a 12-2 lead in points in the paint in the first half and held UNLV to 9-of-28 shooting (32.1 percent).

The Rebels, undaunted despite trailing 41-29 at halftime, kept pushing after the break. They went on a 15-5 run late in the second half to cut their deficit to 60-57. After Davidson pulled away to lead by nine with 3:44 remaining, UNLV surged again and nearly tied the game thanks to Hamilton’s outburst.

The Rebels also played their best defensive half of the season down the stretch to make the game close. The Wildcats shot 13-of-23 (56.5 percent) from the field in the first half, but UNLV limited them after the break by mixing up their coverage mid-possession several times.

“They’re a very cerebral team,” coach T.J. Otzleberger said. “When you guard things a certain way, they have a lot of counters and things to take advantage. We felt like disrupting their rhythm was going to be important to us getting stops. Our guys did a really good job of that.”

2. Jenkins steps up

Hamilton had a tremendous game with 27 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. But David Jenkins Jr.’s performance in the backcourt was nearly as important.

Jenkins, a junior transfer from South Dakota State, didn’t have an easy start to his UNLV career. The preseason Mountain West newcomer of the year scored 23 points his first three games on 7-of-32 shooting.

He looked like a far cry from the player who shot 45 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore. Wednesday, Jenkins showed he could be that guy again.

He finished with 18 points and made 4-of-8 3-pointers. His night ended early after he fouled out with 3:44 remaining, but he showed why expectations were so high for him entering the season.

“I think David Jenkins stepping forward and having the game he did tonight and building on it really helps us build that group chemistry, build an identity,” Otzelberger said.

3. Consistency needed

The three losses in the Maui Invitational showed the Rebels still have plenty of kinks to iron out.

The defense was stout in the second half, yet has been too porous to start the year. The offense at times has been too reliant on Hamilton.

Those growing pains might have been predictable, thanks to UNLV’s inexperienced roster and limited time together because of COVID-19, but they were still pronounced against tough competition at a high-profile event. Otzelberger feels the team will be better for it.

The Rebels have three non-conference games remaining — against Kansas State, Eastern Washington and Pepperdine — before beginning Mountain West play Dec. 20 at Wyoming.