They might not be the two best teams in the Mountain West Conference but Air Force and UNLV certainly know how to put on a good show when they get together at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Just a little over nine months after the Runnin’ Rebels needed three overtimes to put away the Falcons, 108-102, in a wild first round game in the Mountain West Tournament, UNLV (10-10, 3-4 MW) needed two more overtimes following a game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer by point guard Javon Mooring at the end of regulation to defeat Air Force, 87-85, on Saturday afternoon.
Mooring finished with a career-high 30 points and connected on 7-of-14 3-pointers, including an off-balanced 30-footer from in front Gucci Row that banked in to send the contest into overtime.
“The play wasn’t originally for me but once I got it I knew we had to get a shot,” Mooring said. “I was lucky enough for it to go off the backboard. I’ll take it anytime.”
See video of Mooring’s big shot below:
.@_ROZAY30_ sends it to overtime for #UNLVMBB pic.twitter.com/vE0Gkup1Tl
— Steve Guiremand (@UNLVRebelNation) January 22, 2017
The Rebels appeared to have the game won after another long Mooring 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left in overtime gave them a 70-67 lead. But Air Force guard Jacob Van answered with his own buzzer-beating 3-pointer that also banked in to force a second overtime.
Check out Van’s shot in the video below:
Now it's Jacob Van who hits 3 at buzzer to force second OT. 70-70 #mylvsports pic.twitter.com/xNoCChy6L8
— Steve Guiremand (@UNLVRebelNation) January 22, 2017
“That one could have been a little deflating,” UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said. “I saw the guys kind of drop but I had some choice words for them and kind of got into them a little bit. And then they came back with some energy and did a pretty good defensively down the stretch.”
Mooring scored eight points in the second overtime, including a pair of free throws with 3.2 seconds to go that sealed it. Those two free throws, which gave UNLV a 87-82 lead, became even more magnified when Van hit another 3-pointer at the buzzer.
“That was just a fun game to coach, a fun game to watch I’m sure,” Menzies said. “Nerve-wracking but nothing like winning, man. At the end of the game you’ve just got find a way to grind it out.”
WHO STOOD OUT: Although he was only 8-of-21 from the field and had five turnovers, Mooring more than made up for it with his long-distance shooting, connecting on 7-of-14 3-pointers including the clutch buzzer-beater to force overtime. He also had six assists, five rebounds and three steals.
QUOTES TO NOTE:
“The play wasn’t originally for me but once I got it I knew we had to get a shot. I was lucky enough for it to go off the backboard. I’ll take it anytime.” – UNLV point guard Jovan Mooring on his game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
“He’s a winner. That’s what he does. He makes shots when you need him to make shots.” – UNLV coach Marvin Menzies on Mooring
UP NEXT: The Rebels begin a two-game road trip on Wednesday night at Wyoming. The 6 p.m. contest will be streamed on UNLVRebels.com.
NOTABLE: UNLV won despite shooting just 33.8 percent from the field, including a dreadful 21.9 percent (7-of-32) in the second half. … Air Force had several chances to put the game away in the regulation at the free throw line but made just 15 of 27 (55.6 percent) at the foul line. … The Falcons had a 17-0 run early in the second half, holding the Rebels without a point for six minutes and 15 seconds. … UNLV finished with 21 assists on its 26 baskets. … The game featured 10 ties and 15 lead changes. … Both teams committed 10 turnovers but the Rebels took better advantage of Air Force’s miscues, finishing with a 19-11 edge in points off turnovers. … Forward Hayden Graham led Air Force with 22 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out midway through the second overtime. … UNLV moved into a tie for seventh place with Wyoming (13-7, 3-4) in the Mountain West with the win while Air Force (9-11, 2-5) dropped into a three-way tie for last place with San Jose State and Utah State.
Click on graphic below for final stats:
All the highlights you know you need from #UNLVmbb's crazy 87-85 double OT win over @AF_MBB!! pic.twitter.com/vJORcQ9Ryk
— UNLV Basketball (@TheRunninRebels) January 22, 2017