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Game Recap and Tweecap: UNLV catches fire in the second half to beat Colorado State

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By rebelfan1
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Final - 2.19.2011 1 2 Total
UNLV Runnin' Rebels 22 46 68
Colorado St. Rams 27 34 61

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Runnin' Rebels catch fire from behind the three point line in monster road win over Colorado State

Oscar Bellfield had 18 points on 6-16 shooting and Anthony Marshall had 16 points on 7-11 shooting to lead UNLV to a majorly needed victory. Chace Stanback also added 12 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. UNLV's 8-19 (43%) shooting from behind the three point line really was what carried the Rebels offense in the second half.

Andy Ogide had 19 points and 7 rebounds in a losing effort for the Rams, but Wes Eikmeier was the one who riled the crowd up. Eikmeier had 13 points and 2 big momentum turning three pointers. Colorado State shot 47 percent from the field, but they also shot only 68 percent from the charity stripe. That, combined with 17 turnovers and a -7 rebounding margin, was the premise of the Ram's demise.

In the first half, these teams looked as if they had forgotten to score the basketball. The halftime score was 27-22, but the score wasn't even an indication of how bad each team played. Colorado State had 10 turnovers in the first half, yet UNLV only had 6 fast break points. Neither team had hit a 3 point shot until the final three minutes of the half. I could list stat after stat about how bad the first half was, but that would bore you to death.

Regardless of how bad each team played, it was clear Colorado State had the momentum and was playing better. The Rams had completely smothered the UNLV offense and it looked like CSU only had to stretch the game out a couple more possessions in order to make the game unreachable.

Then UNLV came out in the second half and the light bulb went on, UNLV remembered how to shoot a three pointer. The Rebels made two straight three point shots that set off a 9-2 run to start the second half. From that point on, UNLV had the momentum, they had control of the game, you could feel that the Rebels had their confidence back which had been so sorely lacking in previous games.

From that point on, the game was back and forth as to who had the lead until about 6:00 remaining when UNLV was up 49-47. The Runnin' Rebels scored 5 points there to extend the lead to 7 and the Rams couldn't get the lead under 3 again for the rest of the game. UNLV had a couple more big three pointers from Oscar Bellfield to get the Rebels to 60 points and then free throw shooting took over from there.

This is a tough loss for Colorado State. The Rams had a big win in their grasp, but let the momentum and game slip away in the second half. As for UNLV, this win now means that they only have to beat Utah and Wyoming in order to get the MWC Tournament 3 seed plus they basically cement themselves in the NCAA Tournament, barring an upset from the bottomfeeders in the conference.

As far as Colorado State's tournament chances go, they would now have to beat BYU and SDSU as well as New Mexico in the first round in order to get an at-large bid. Two wins against Top 5 RPI teams on the road would give the Rams the quality wins they need in order to make it to the NCAA Tournament without having to win the MWC Tournament.

 

A Tweecap is when you have someone that tweets for an entire game and you put those tweets in order. I had the opportunity of being able to tweet during the entire game, so I will show you, in chronological order, my tweets and the ones of which i retweeted.

Tweecap:

UNLV up 4-2 at 1st media timeout. Sloppy offense by both teams.
Um... Airball by Stanback. Score tied at 4.
Justin Hawkins going to the line with CSU up 6-4.
Hawkins makes both and the game is tied at 6.
Both teams are 0-3 from behind the arc to start the game. CSU with 6 turnovers already.
10-6 Rams.
@ryanmgreene: Eikmeier has hit two jumpers off of the bench, #UNLV 2-of-16 from the floor. Rams up 10-6 at second TV break.
Where's my clock and score? @TheMtn is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
@UNLVAthletics: 11:57 to go in the 1st half, trails CSU 10-6. Rebs are 2-of-16 from the field. CSU is 5-of-11. CSU outrebounding 13-7
Still no time and score...
HORRIBLE offense from the Rebels right now. 6 points in 10 minutes.
Clock is fixed!
Long 2 from Willis makes it a 2 point game with 10:00 left.
9:00 left and it's 10-8 CSU. This is sad.
At this rate, CSU will beat UNLV 40-32.
Andy Ogide going to the line with the Rams up 10-8 and 8:14 left.
12-8 Rams after two free throws from Ogide...
When we come back from commercial, Anthony Marshall will be at the line with 7:00 left and CSU with a 12-8 lead.
@UNLVRebelNation: Rebels blistering the nets at 13 percent but only down by 4, 12-8, with 7:36 left in half.
13 percent shooting percentage for the Rebels, 33 percent for the Rams.
Stanback hits a shot out of the timeout. 12-10 Rams.
Tie game.
Ogide makes it 14-12 Rams.
Marshall makes it 13-14 at the line.
Ogide with the flush makes it 16-13 Rams.
18-13 CSU.
Massamba makes it 15-18.
This is plain horrible.
TV Timeout: CSU is now up 18-15.
@ryanmgreene: Final TV TO of first half, #UNLV down 18-15 after awful possession w/ two ugly shots by Bellfield. They're lucky to be down 3 folks
@UNLVAthletics: Neither team has made a 3-pointer (UNLV 0-for-7, CSU 0-for-5)
@ryanmgreene: #UNLV currently 6-of-30 from the floor, 0-for-5 from 3.
Three pointer from Eikmeier makes it a 6 point game.
Tre'Von Willis with a three makes it 24-20 CSU. 57 seconds left.
Halftime: CSU 27 - UNLV 22. Rebels looking ugly...
UNLV shooting 24% from the field. CSU is shooting 40% from the field.
@UNLVAthletics: CSU's last 3 baskets of the half were 3-pointers. #UNLVmbb trails 27-22 at halftime. Leading scorers: CSU - Eikmeier 10 pts, UNLV - Willis 7
UNLV outrebounding CSU 21-17.
Willis is still the high scorer for #UNLVMBB with 7 points and 4 rebounds.
@unlvrebelbuzz: chase has 7 boards and marshall and tre have 4 but the rebs seem like they want nothing to do with the lane
@bchulick: Time to start the most important half is recent Rams history!
@CoachMiles: That was physical. WOW!!
Stanback with a huge three to make it 27-25 Rams.
Rams answer. 29-25 CSU.
Marshall answers with another three. 29-28 Rams.
Can anyone guess the last time #UNLVMBB last hit back to back threes?
Marshall's three made a two via replay. CSU 29-27.
Thomas makes it 29-29 with 17:00 left.
Marshall gives UNLV the lead 31-29.
Check that. It was Bellfield.
@ryanmgreene: And #unlvmbb gets the lead, 31-29. 9-2 run to start the second half, followed by a CSU turnover.
#UNLVMBB offense picked up while the defense is outstanding.
Hornung makes it 31-31.
Lopez makes it 33-31 Rebels.
Timeout by Tim Miles, and with good reason. The Rebels look like they're running circles around the Rams.
@ryanmgreene: Great move by Carlos Lopez following a CSU score. His offensive game continues to develop rapidly. 33-31, #unlvmbb, 15:23 to go.
Attendance announced: 8,745 - the arena's capacity.
Bellfield makes it 35-33 Rebels.
Two free throws from Ogide ties it back up.
What a shot by Hornung. 37-35 Rams.
Check that, was Dorian Green.
Tre'Von gets fouled. Still 37-35 Rams with 13:02 left.
Bellfield's three puts UNLV up 38-37.
Ogide gets an and 1 to make it 39-38 Rams.
Bellfield with another three! 41-39 Rebels.
Under 12 media timeout: 41-39 Rebels with 11:54 left.
Rebels now 4-11 from behind the arc.
@UNLVgirl: Oscar hits back to back 3s and Rebels up 41-39 #unlvmbb 1154 left
Ogide ties it at 41.
Quintrell Thomas makes it 42-41 UNLV at the line.
Marshall with the alley-pop to make 44-41 Rebels! (I have to tell you, I was at a sports restauraunt watching the game. 5 guys that were all sitting there to watch another game saw the Anthony Marshall alley-oop and went nuts. It was awesome to see the Rebels doing that stuff again.)
Eikmeier answers for CSU 44-43 Rebels.
Another three by Bellfield! 47-43 Rebels.
Ogide heading back to the line. 47-43 Rebels.
Ogide makes it 47-45 Rebels.
Justin Hawkins headed to the line.
@ryanmgreene: Biggest difference between the last game and this one, other than #UNLV's overall effort: CSU only has four offensive boards.
Hawkins makes it 49-45 UNLV. 8:00 left.
TV Timeout: UNLV up 49-45 with 7:34 left.
Rebels now shooting 43% from behind the arc, and outrebounding Rams by 29-24.
CSU makes it 49-47 Rebels.
Horrible pass by Carr for CSU.
Bellfield hits another three! Timeout Rams! 52-47 UNLV.
@ryanmgreene: Huge break for #UNLV. Bellfield hits a second-chance 3 after an over-and-back should have been called. Either way, #unlvmbb up 52-47, 5:49
Rebels shooting just over 40% from three.
Stanback makes it 54-47 UNLV!
@ryanmgreene: You had to figure that all of that extra post-practice shooting for Bellfield would pay off at SOME point. 4 treys this half.
@ryanmgreene: Stanback with a great shot off of a head-fake in the corner. #UNLV now up 7. 5 min. left.
Hornung at the line for CSU. 4:39 left, UNLV up 54-48.
And 1 for CSU. 54-51 UNLV.
Rams headed to the line after the TV break, 54-51 Rebels.
@ryanmgreene: #UNLV letting CSU back in this one. Three missed opps. to score, CSU gets an and-one on the other end. 54-51, FT coming, 3:47 left.
@UNLVAthletics: Massamba with his 5th foul. Horning with the And-1 for CSU. leads 54-51 with 3:47 to go. Horning shoots 1 after the timeout.
@ryanmgreene: Loudest cheers of the day come for the dancing band director, who's now removing his dress shirt. This guy is awesome.
@ESPNLunardi: Huge games coming down the stretch: UNLV at ColoSt and Arkansas at Bama. Neither home team can stay in the next bracket with a loss.
Makes the free throw. 54-52.
Marshall for three! UNLV up 57-52.
Nigon answers with a three of his own. 57-55.
Stanback for three! 60-55 UNLV!
@ryanmgreene: #UNLV settling for 3s down the stretch, just like Saturday ... but hitting them this time. Stanback with one. 60-55, 2:07 left. #unlvmbb up
@ryanmgreene: is 7-of-13 from 3-point territory this half.
Ogide makes it 60-56 Rebels.
Tim Miles kills his clipboard...
@ryanmgreene: I think Miles just got T'd up. Chucked his clipboard. Willis gets two FTs, up 60-56, 1:35 left.
Technical on Tim Miles.
1:35 left, Tre'Von misses BOTH free throws. 60-56 UNLV.
@ryanmgreene: Willis, #UNLV's best FT shooter, misses both. Big missed opportunity. #unlvmbb still gets the ball, tho.
Wow. No points off a technical foul.
60-57 Rebels.
Marshall makes it a 5 point game. 62-57 Rebels. Timeout CSU with 36 seconds left.
@ryanmgreene: Wow. Awesome feed by Bellfield to Marshall for a layup, #UNLV up five with under a minute left. Bellfield with his game of the year
@lvrebelfan: God, if Oscar Bellfield would play half this good every game we'd be a top 15 team right now.
Dorian Green makes it a one possession game with 32 left. 62-59 Rebels.
Bellfield trying to end the game by knocking down free throws. 62-59 Rebels.
Makes both. 64-59 Rebels.
A 3 by Green makes it 64-62 Rebels! Huge shot!
Calling it a two.
Willis going to the line with 1 and 1. Rebels up 64-61.
Willis makes both. 66-61 Rebels.
Stanback heading to the line. 66-61 Rebels.
@ryanmgreene: Free throw fest, #UNLV is gonna escape here with a monster win. 66-61, under 10 seconds.
FINAL: 68-61 UNLV!
An interesting thing about the game was how well Bellfield played. Oscar had been in a shooting slump all season long and he finally came out of it against CSU. The problem for the Rebels? The road just gets tougher as UNLV travels to The Pit on Wednesday to take on New Mexico.
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