LAS VEGAS – UNLV’s roller-coaster season came to an end Thursday night with a 70-58 loss to Utah State in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Championship at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Rebels battled but couldn’t overcome a woeful shooting performance, finishing just 24% (13-for-55) from the field and 15% (3-for-20) from beyond the arc. A shorthanded backcourt and suffocating Aggies defense proved too much to handle.
First Team All-Mountain West guard Ian Martinez led Utah State with 17 points and six rebounds, matching UNLV’s total made 3-pointers. Mason Falslev added 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Aggies advanced to the semifinals.
UNLV had three players in double figures, all of whom played the full 40 minutes. Jaden Henley led the way with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and five steals. Jalen Hill, playing his final collegiate game in his hometown, contributed 13 points and seven rebounds.
“I wouldn’t change anything, getting hurt,” Hill said of his two-year tenure at UNLV after transferring from Oklahoma. “For everybody that’s from Vegas or wants to come here, it’s a great program to come to, and your coach is going to fight for you every single day.”
Jailen Bedford added 13 points and four boards despite playing through an eye injury sustained in Wednesday’s first-round win over Fresno State.
Bedford, a senior, could potentially return next season due to NCAA rules not counting JUCO seasons toward eligibility. Henley, a junior, is also expected to return and emphasized the team’s chemistry moving forward.
“I think the biggest thing we can build on is the fight we had,” Henley said. “Every game, we fought and gave it our all. Even in the huddles, we were active. DJ (Thomas Jr.) is hurt, but he’s still in the huddle, Rob (Whaley Jr.) is still in the huddle. I think we can build on that family aspect and keep it going.”
Isaiah Cottrell provided key minutes off the bench again after logging a season-high 24 minutes on Wednesday. He grabbed five rebounds and knocked down the only UNLV 3-pointer of the first half after Jeremiah "Bear" Cherry picked up two early fouls.
Cherry, who played a crucial role in the Rebels’ first-round win, was neutralized by the Aggies' defensive game plan. He finished with just three points and six rebounds, failing to make a field goal (0-for-3) and struggling at the free-throw line (1-for-4). Every time Cherry touched the ball in the post, Utah State sent immediate double teams, forcing difficult kick-outs that rarely led to open looks.
“The way they react is as good as anyone in the country in terms of anticipation of the next play,” UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger said. “You have to give them credit because when you’ve had three or four tough, contested shots, when you do get that open one, there’s a little more pressure on it. And that’s what great defensive teams do—they make those open shots that much harder to come by.”
After a back-and-forth first half featuring four lead changes, Utah State took the lead for good on a Gateretse jumper just before halftime. The Aggies quickly extended their advantage to double digits after the break, but UNLV repeatedly fought back to stay within striking distance.
With 6:20 left, Bedford hit a short jumper to cut the deficit to nine, but it proved to be the Rebels’ final field goal. They missed their last 10 shots, allowing Utah State to pull away late behind Martinez.
While the conference tournament run is over, UNLV may not be done playing this season. Kruger said the team would consider participating in the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, or National Invitation Tournament (NIT) if invited, depending on player health and willingness.
“Personally, I would love to keep playing,” Kruger said. “But that would be something that’s up to them. If that group of seniors wanted to keep playing with some of the younger guys, I would be all for it. But if you’ve got six people that want to do it, you probably have to have a different discussion. Although, we played the last couple of games with a handful of people, so maybe they would want to.”
Regardless of postseason opportunities, the focus now shifts to next season. The NCAA transfer portal officially opens on March 24, and roster changes are inevitable.
“The portal might be two weeks away, but we’re already seeing everything,” Kruger said. “Guys are announcing they’re going in the portal. So, I mean, it’s an interesting few weeks, we’ll put it that way.”
“But we’ve also got a great opportunity to retain a lot of guys, and the retention rate right now in college basketball is showing. Teams that have good retention rates and have guys that want to be back usually have a lot of success.”