CEDAR CITY, Utah, Dec. 15 - Southern Utah hung with No. 23 UNLV for the first 20 minutes but the Rebels took control with a 12-2 run to open the second half en route to a 77-59 non-conference win over the Thunderbirds Tuesday night.

            Southern Utah opened the game with an 89-2 run and led through much of the first half before UNLV grabbed its first lead, 15-13, on a Darris Santee layup with 11:01 to play in the period. SUU reclaimed the advantage, 20-19, on a Drew Allen jumper with 5:28 to go, and had a 24-21 lead with 3:31 on the clock after a pair of Davis Baker free throws.

            The teams went back and forth through the next three minutes before Chace Stanback hit a 3-pointer to give the Rebels a 31-28 edge with 35 seconds to go. Davis Baker answered with a layup with three seconds on the clock to pull SUU within 31-30 at the break.

            UNLV utilized a full-court press in much of the first half but the Rebels really put the pressure on after the break, forcing turnovers on six of the Thunderbirds first nine possessions of the second half. During that period UNLV out-scored SUU 12-2 to build a 43-32 advantage, and although Baker hit a jumper to pull SUU back within 43-34 the Thunderbirds didn't threaten again.

            The Rebels went on another 11-2 run to build a 54-36 advantage, and although SUU cut into the deficit several times the T-Birds never got back within 13.

            "The first four or five minutes of the second half really hurt us," SUU Coach Roger Reid said after the game. "Against a team like that you have to stay in there, keep it close and put the pressure on them. If you can stay with them it gets tougher but they had the depth to keep putting guys out there and pressuring us.

            "I think their depth was really what made the difference, what really hurt us," Reid added. "They've got 10 guys who they can put on the court and not really drop off much. That was tough for us to deal with.

            "I saw some good things out there tonight though," Reid went on to say. "[Freshman center] Matt Hodgson showed us what he's going to be like when he gets some maturity and puts on some weight. He rebounded the ball well and blocked some shots and really made a contribution.

            "Davis Baker had an outstanding game as well. He's really amazing sometimes, he's got two or three guys on him and they know what he does but he comes to play  and he does what he needs to do; he's a warrior."

            Baker scored 21 points to lead Southern Utah, while Hodgson pulled down a career-best eight rebounds and blocked three shots as SUU out-rebounded the Rebels 43-to-38 but also had 25 turnovers to UNLV's 10. Fourteen of SUU's turnovers came off UNLV steals and the Rebels were able to rack up 28 points off of the 25 SUU turnovers.

            Willis came off the bench to score 16 points to lead UNLV, while Stanback had 15 and Oscar Bellfield finished with 10.

            SUU dipped to 3-8 with the loss while UNLV improved to 8-1.

-- SUU --