Runnin’ Rebels edge Fresno State on Saturday

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels earned their third-straight win against Fresno State on Saturday afternoon with a 52-51 victory.

Jailen Bedford and Jaden Henley both led the Runnin’ Rebels in the win, scoring 13 points each.

Henley added a career-high nine rebounds. Dedan Thomas, Jr scored seven points and a game-high tying seven assists with one turnover.

Jeremiah Cherry had a game-high of four blocked shots. Pape N’Diaye added two of his own.

The Bulldogs were led by Elijah Price who scored 15 points and 12 rebounds for the game. Price also came away with two blocks and three steals.

The Runnin’ Rebels led by 11 with just eight minutes left to play. Fresno State went on a 12-0 run which gave Fresno State a one-point lead, 51-50.

Henley cleaned up a rebound off a Thomas Jr miss and made the putback, which gave the Runnin’ Rebels the lead again.

Henley was fouled on the play but couldn’t capitalize on the free throw.

With 13 seconds left in the game, N’Diaye blocked a potential game-winning shot by Zaon Collins.

The Runnin’ Rebels scored just two points in the last eight minutes of the game but still managed to hold on for the win.

“We will take a win every single time, any way we can get it,” Coach Kevin Kruger said. “Road games in this conference, especially with a team as talented and dangerous as Fresno State, I thought we did a lot of really good things that led to having that opportunity to win.”

The Runnin’ Rebels have a long rest this week before taking on Colorado State on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center.