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MBK: Rams Rally Back To Upset No. 17 UNLV

Feb. 29, 2012
Associated Press

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Dorian Green scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, leading Colorado State back from a 16-point deficit to upset No. 17 UNLV 66-59 on Wednesday night.

The Rams (18-10, 7-6 Mountain West) capped a perfect home mark in league play with their 13th straight win at Moby Arena. The last time they went unbeaten at home in conference games was in the 1960-61 season in the old Mountain States Conference.

They trailed 41-26 at halftime and by 16 points in the opening minutes of the second half before rallying to burnish their NCAA credentials with their third straight home win over a ranked team.

The Rebels (24-7, 8-5) fell a game behind New Mexico and San Diego State in the Mountain West standings. They got 17 points from Oscar Bellfield, but he had just one basket in the second half, a 3-pointer that put UNLV ahead 47-31.

From that point, the Rams outscored the Rebels 35-12.

The Rebels' leading scorers, Mike Moser and Chace Stanback, who average a combined 28 points, managed just half that with Moser scoring five points, nine below his average, and Stanback getting nine.

The Rebels have suddenly lost their mojo on the road, losing at Wyoming, TCU, New Mexico and Colorado State in succession. With each loss, the home fans stormed the court. This time, Anthony Marshall took a seat on the courtside media table and took in the scene.

He said afterward he wanted to use it as motivation for a March comeback.

The Rebels raced to a 20-6 lead behind three 3s by Bellfield, including two straight to cap an 11-2 spurt.

It began to look like the Rebels were just toying with the Rams when Justin Hawkins scored on a layup after a spectacular steal and behind-the-back pass from near midcourt made it 22-10.

After the Rams cut their deficit to 26-22 with a 10-0 spurt sparked by Wes Eikmier's five points, the Runnin' Rebels closed out the first half with a crowd-quieting 15-2 run to take a 41-26 lead.

UNLV's last nine points of the first half came from behind the arc, where Kendall Wallace, Bellfield and Stanback all swished 3-pointers from the right corner, just in front of the dejected Rams' bench.

Bellfield's 3-pointer with Pierce Hornung all over him gave the Rebels a 37-31 lead early in the second half.

Then, astonishingly, it was all Rams.

They cut the deficit below double digits on Greg Smith's 3-pointer and Green's drive to the hoop made it 50-44. Dwight Smith's two free throws at the 9:53 mark made it 52-50, and Green's three-point play with 6:57 left gave the Rams their first lead, 53-52.

The Rebels, who had won 16 of their previous 18 meetings with Colorado State, regained the lead at 54-53 on Moser's two free throws, but Green replied with a baseline jumper to put the Rams ahead for good.