UNLV fought through injuries and a late push from San Jose State to secure a 77-71 victory on Tuesday night at the Provident Credit Union Events Center.
The Rebels (15-13, 9-8) played without lead guard Dedan Thomas Jr. for just the second time in two seasons, while the Spartans (13-17, 6-12) missed starting guard Will McClendon and center Robert Vaihola for the second consecutive game due to knee injury.
San Jose State also lost senior guard Donovan Yap with 4:37 left in the first half after a collision with Julian Rishwain. Yap did not return, finishing with two points, five assists, and two steals in 13 minutes.
Stepping up in Thomas’ absence, Jaden Henley led UNLV’s offensive charge with a team-high 22 points, five assists, five rebounds, and four steals in 38 minutes. Head coach Kevin Kruger emphasized Henley’s increased playmaking role without Thomas, and the junior delivered.
Senior forward Jalen Hill also capitalized on the opportunity, logging 38 minutes and contributing 17 points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Rishwain added 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers, while Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry exploited San Jose State’s depleted frontcourt with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and eight boards.
The Spartans were led by guard Josh Uduje, who poured in 27 points, including 23 in the second half, on 9-for-16 shooting. However, the rest of the team combined to shoot just 36% from the field.
After seven lead changes and 16 combined turnovers, UNLV took a four-point advantage into halftime. Coming out of the break, Cherry went on a tear, scoring seven points in the first five minutes of the half, including an and-1 that stretched the Rebel lead to nine, their largest of the game. However, Uduje immediately responded with his own bucket plus the foul, sparking an 8-0 Spartans run that cut the deficit to one.
The Rebels fended off several second-half pushes before Uduje’s personal 7-0 run gave the Spartans their first lead of the half just under the nine-minute mark.
Henley and Jailen Bedford quickly responded, pushing UNLV back up by five, but Uduje’s third 3-pointer of the half kept San Jose State within striking distance. In the final two minutes, Henley extended the lead to four before he and Hill iced the game at the free-throw line, combining to go 8-for-8 down the stretch.
UNLV overcame recent struggles at the line, finishing 16-of-21 on free throws—a key factor in closing out the win.
The Rebels improved to 22-5 all-time in San Jose and now prepare for their in-state rival. With just three games remaining in the Mountain West regular season, UNLV will host Nevada on Friday at 8 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center.
