UNLV Rebels fall to Duke at T-Mobile Arena, 94-45

Duke's Luke Kennard (5) drives past UNLV's Dwayne Morgan (15) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) drives baseline around with Duke's Marques Bolden (20) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (11) shoots over Duke's Javin DeLaurier (12) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (2) fights for a rebound with Duke's Chase Jeter (2) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (2) drives past Duke's Chase Jeter (2) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Tyrell Green (3) shoots over Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Uche Ofoegbu (2) tries to dunk over Duke's Chase Jeter (2) and Luke Kennard (5) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Troy Baxter (31) shoots over Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) fights for a rebound with Duke's Javin DeLaurier (12) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) drives around Duke's Javin DeLaurier (12) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Harry Giles (1) drives Duke's Jayson Tatum (0) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Christian Jones (20) shoots over Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) drives past UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Frank Jackson (15) lays out for a loose ball during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Frank Jackson (15) shoots over UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Dwayne Morgan (15) fights for a rebound with Duke's Luke Kennard (5) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) fights for a rebound with UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) and Dwayne Morgan (15) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Amile Jefferson (21) muscles his way to the rim around UNLV's Dwayne Morgan (15) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Jayson Tatum (0) shoots over UNLV's Christian Jones (20) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Kris Clyburn (1) grabs a rebound during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Marques Bolden (20) dunks during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Marques Bolden (20) collides with UNLV's Cheickna Dembele (11) during the Blue Devils road matchup with the Rebels at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies consoles Jovan Mooring (30) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Christian Jones (20) tries to block the shot of Duke's Luke Kennard (5) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper watches UNLV take on Duke at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski calls a play during the Blue Devils matchup with UNLV at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Larry Bush (0) is boxed in by Duke's Luke Kennard (5) and Grayson Allen (3) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski calls a play during the Blue Devils matchup with UNLV at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) argues a call with an official with teammates Kris Clyburn (1) and Tyrell Green (3) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski argues a call with an official during the Blue Devils matchup with UNLV at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's Tyrell Green (3) warms up before the start of the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

UNLV's Jalen Poyser (5) shoots over Duke's Luke Kennard (5) and Marques Bolden (20) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Luke Kennard (5) drives past UNLV's Dwayne Morgan (15) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's Grayson Allen (3) dunks over UNLV's Dwayne Morgan (15) during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Duke's head coach Mike Krzyzewski calls a play during the Blue Devils matchup with UNLV at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

UNLV's head coach Marvin Menzies directs his team during the Rebels home matchup with the Blue Devils at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Steven Gull directs traffic outside T-Mobile Arena before the start of the UNLV Duke game on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal

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By MARK ANDERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

December 11, 2016 - 12:16 am

UNLV played its usual pregame video before the Rebels’ starting lineup was announced, but this time sprinkled in highlights of the program’s victory in the 1990 national championship.

The Rebels are seen dominating Duke in that video.

After what happened Saturday, that seems like a lifetime ago. The fifth-ranked Blue Devils crushed UNLV 94-45 before an announced sellout of 19,107 in the first college basketball game at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s disappointing we weren’t able to put our best foot forward,” coach Marvin Menzies said. “Obviously, the outcome wasn’t near what we wanted to exhibit in terms of what we’ve been doing in practice and the steps we’ve been making. It’s always hard to lose, but it’s really tough to swallow when you don’t play up to your capabilities.”

Duke (10-1), a 24-point favorite, beat the Rebels (5-4) in just about every way. The Blue Devils, who shot 58.7 percent, were led by Grayson Allen’s 34 points on 12-of-16 shooting. Three other Blue Devils scored in double figures.

Bishop Gorman graduate Chase Jeter started for Duke and had two points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.

Jalen Poyser scored 16 points as the only Rebel in double figures. Forward Christian Jones, back after missing five games with a foot injury, was scoreless in 17 minutes and had five rebounds.

UNLV lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

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

Menzies: "We will be fine. It's tough to swallow." #unlvmbb #unlvvsduke pic.twitter.com/1mAQCd0xzQ

— Kira Terry (@kiraterry) December 11, 2016

Krzyzewski: "what a great crowd, it's an honor to be here. We prepared to try to beat a really good team - and we did." pic.twitter.com/G55TNvDF7U

— Kira Terry (@kiraterry) December 11, 2016

Krzyzewski: "We have the upmost respect for UNLV and their brand." #unlvmbb #unlvvsduke pic.twitter.com/phmZyRqM6v

— Kira Terry (@kiraterry) December 11, 2016

Rebels guard Uche Ofoegbu: "Our goal is still ahead of us, we'll be better." #unlvmbb #unlvvsduke pic.twitter.com/xbVVwMvfO1

— Kira Terry (@kiraterry) December 11, 2016

Menzies: "They got their tails handed to them & they need to understand what we need to do to compete at a higher level." #unlvmbb pic.twitter.com/f7wMnGx262

— Kira Terry (@kiraterry) December 11, 2016