MEN’S BASKETBALL: UNLV Upsets No. 8 Creighton

HENDERSON, Nev.–(CU Athletics Dec. 13)–The No. 8 Creighton men’s basketball team had its three-game win streak snapped on Wednesday night with a 79-64 loss against UNLV at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.

UNLV improves to 4-4 with its first non-conference top-10 win since 2014, while Creighton fell to 8-2.

After making three wide open shots to surge to an 8-2 lead in the game’s opening minutes, Creighton’s offense went cold as UNLV went on a 7-0 run to take a lead it would hold the rest of the night. and the hosts owned a 36-28 lead into the intermission. Freshman Dedan Thomas Jr. had 14 points and four rebounds in the opening half, while Ryan Kaklbrenner topped the Jays with eight points and four rebounds before the break. UNLV shot 55.6 percent from the floor and held CU to 27.6 percent shooting, its worst half of the season.

CU’s high-octane offense never got going until it was too late as an 8-0 run in a span of 71 seconds doubled the Runnin‘ Rebel lead to 62-46 with eight minutes left. CU got no closer than 12 the rest of the way.

Kalkbrenner led Creighton 22 points, with 12 of those coming on dunks, in addition to eight rebounds and five blocked shots. Also in double-digits for the second straight game was Mason Miller, who added 11, and Baylor Scheierman who contributed 16 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Creighton, which led the nation with 12.6 three-pointers entering the contest, made just 8-of-29 triples on the evening.

Kalib Boone paced the Rebels with 25 points, while his brother Keylan had 10 in his debut after being declared eligible earlier in the day. UNLV shot 52.5 percent in the  victory.

Creighton returns to action on Saturday at 7 p.m. when it hosts Alabama in a game that will be broadcast on FOX.