UNLV basketball dominates Chattanooga 101-69 for Pastner's first win

UNLV forward Kimani Hamilton (2) drives to the basket between Chattanooga forward Latif Diouf (23) and guard Jikari Johnson, right, during the first half of an NCAA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. Photo by: Steve Marcus

What a difference a game makes for the UNLV basketball team.

The Rebels dominated visiting Chattanooga 101-69 on Saturday night, with Nass Cunningham leading the way with 25 points to give coach Josh Pastner his first victory at UNLV.

Kimani Hamilton chipped in 19 points, Howie Fleming Jr. and Gibbs-Lawhorn added 13 apiece, and the turnaround from Tuesday’s opener was obvious.

Gone was the sloppy play that plagued the Rebels in their 86-81 loss to UT Martin, when they blew a 10-point lead and coughed up 22 turnovers in a disjointed offensive showing.

Instead, UNLV was sharp and efficient.

The Rebels committed just eight turnovers and took control in the second half, outscoring Chattanooga 54-33 after the break.

Hamilton, who fouled out in just 14 minutes against UT Martin, made his presence felt throughout this one. He grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and snagged two steals while drawing enough contact to earn 10 trips to the free throw line, converting eight of them.

The Rebels were aggressive attacking the basket all night, finishing 27-of-37 from the charity stripe. Jacob Bannarbie, the only returning player on the roster, turned in a career-best performance with 10 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting in 18 minutes.