UNLV basketball holds Air Force to 39 points, starts Mountain West play 2-0

UNLV forward Tyrin Jones (6) dunks against the Air Force during the second half of an NCAA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Photo by: Steve Marcus

The UNLV basketball team sits atop the Mountain West conference standings — though after just two league games, both against teams projected to finish near the bottom.

Still, the Rebels made a statement today in their 67-39 victory against Air Force, holding a Division I opponent to fewer than 40 points for the first time since 2010. The Falcons struggled to just 27.8% shooting.

“I don’t care who you play; you hold a team to under 40 points, that’s not easy to do,” UNLV coach Josh Pastner said. “That means you were good defensively, and we were.”

The victory was particularly impressive, Pastner noted, given that the flu had swept through the team this week, sidelining multiple players and the coach himself at various points.

Four Rebels reached double figures, led by Tyrin Jones with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 12 points, while Issac Williamson contributed 10. Howie Fleming Jr. posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Jacob Bannarbie pulled down 10 boards.

UNLV seized control with a 10-0 run to open the second half, stretching the lead to 25 points.

The victory extended the Rebels’ winning streak to three games and improved their record to 7-6. But the schedule intensifies next week with consecutive road tests — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wyoming and 7 p.m. Friday at Colorado State.

“It wasn’t an easy week for us with guys being in and out with the flu bug, but we found a way to really execute,” Pastner said.