LAS VEGAS – Miles Byrd logged his first career double double and Nick Boyd scored 19 points, but the stellar guard play was not enough as San Diego State fell by a 74-67 score to UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday night.
The Aztecs (20-8, 13-6 Mountain West) came in as winners of five of their last six games.
UNLV (17-13, 11-8 MW) wins its third straight game and sixth of its last seven. The Rebels finish their regular season at New Mexico on Friday night.
The teams kept pace with each other in the first half. Neither team led by more than six or went on a run of more than six consecutive points. The opening 20 minutes featured six lead changes with SDSU going up 30-28 with 1:22 remaining when Boyd drained a three-pointer. SDSU led for the rest of the half and carried a 34-32 lead into the locker room after Boyd made a layup with six seconds to go in the half.
On the opening possession of the second half, Byrd found Miles Heide for a layup to go up 36-32 but the Rebels would respond with seven consecutive points to take a 39-36 lead with 17:54 remaining. The Aztecs battled back, briefly going up 42-41 before the Rebels went back on top 46-42. Byrd had an incredible putback dunk followed by a three-pointer on the next possession to put SDSU up by two with 13 minutes left. UNLV took back the lead with ten minutes and change on the clock via a Jailen Bedford three and did not look back, leading the rest of the way. The Rebels went up seven points with just under five minutes remaining, but the Aztecs pushed back with a 5-0 run to pull within two points with 3:37 left. UNLV led by as much as nine points with 16 seconds to go but a Miles Byrd layup in the final ten seconds brought the final score to 74-67.
Byrd finally reached his elusive double double and finished with great numbers across the board (15 points, ten rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks). Boyd’s 19 points were a team-high and he grabbed four rebounds. Two more Aztec starters, BJ Davis and Heide, each finished with ten points, matching a career-high for Heide. SDSU’s other starter, Jared Coleman-Jones grabbed seven boards and blocked a pair of shots.
UNLV was led by Julian Rishwain (26 points, four assists), Jaden Henley (17 points, four assists), Jalen Hill (11 points, six rebounds) and Bedford (ten points, eight rebounds).
The Rebels shot better from the field (51.0%-40.0%) and beyond the arc (50.0%-24.1%) while both teams shot 60.0% from the free throw line. The Aztecs scored more on fast breaks (11-5) and in the paint (30-20).
THE NOTE
Miles Byrd became the first player in Mountain West history and the third player in the nation this century to total 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals, three blocks and multiple three-pointers in a game.
SDSU wraps up its regular season on Saturday with a home game against the Nevada Wolf Pack. The game is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on FS1 and San Diego Sports 760. The Aztecs will honor their seniors prior to the game and fans are asked to wear white.