LAS VEGAS — The lessons from UNLV’s latest road swing were not subtle, nor were they ignored.

After consecutive Mountain West losses away from home, the Rebels returned to Las Vegas with a clear understanding of what went wrong and an equally clear sense of what must change.

UNLV has been one of the best teams in the country at creating advantage. The Rebels rank among the nation’s top five in free-throw attempts, consistently pressuring defenses and getting downhill.

They have also been among the worst at converting it, shooting under 66 percent from the free-throw line.

That contradiction was defined last week.

Against Colorado State, UNLV fought. It stabilized. It put itself in a position to win.

It just didn’t finish.

That distinction looms large as the Boise State Broncos arrive at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday night, bringing with them a familiar identity: discipline, rebounding, and an ability to expose teams that fail to close possessions.

UNLV head coach Josh Pastner did not soften his assessment of the Rebels’ two-game road stretch. Instead, he drew a sharp line between effort and execution.

Against Wyoming, Pastner said, the Rebels never found their footing.

“We were selfish and soft,” he said. “Those are two bad adjectives you do not want as a basketball team.”

The response against Colorado State was different, even if the result was the same.

“I was proud of our fight,” Pastner said. “My disappointment is we blew the game.”

That contrast matters internally. UNLV did not lose its structure against the Rams. It lost possessions at the free-throw line, at the rim, and on the glass.

“The amount of free throws we missed, the amount of layups we missed, and paint shots is unacceptable,” Pastner said. “And with our frontcourt size, we have to be better with our offensive and defensive rebounding.”

That message has been consistent in practice and film sessions.

“Our goal is to get 40 percent of our misses rebounded back,” Pastner said. “That’s a tangible, effort-based thing. It’s about grit and toughness.”

The same themes have surfaced from the players.

Guard Howie Fleming Jr. described the Wyoming loss as a breakdown in connection rather than preparation.

“As a team, we felt like we were disconnected,” Fleming said. “That right there is not like us.”

For Fleming and the UNLV backcourt, the corrective emphasis begins on the defensive end, particularly against perimeter shooting.

“We’re going to focus more on taking control of our matchups and making sure we don’t give up threes,” he said. “We’ve just got to lock in and bear down on defense.”

That approach mirrors Pastner’s film-room standard.

“When the film’s on, you can’t run and hide from it,” Pastner said. “The film doesn’t lie.”

Boise State does not overwhelm opponents with tempo or volume shooting. The Broncos win by stabilizing lineups, controlling the glass, and forcing teams to score efficiently.

They do not accelerate games. They sit in them.

That profile makes Boise State a difficult opponent for a UNLV team still searching for consistency in late-game execution. The Broncos are comfortable letting opponents make the same mistake twice, particularly when possessions go unfinished.

UNLV has shown vulnerability in those short, decisive stretches.

The path for Boise State to lose is narrow but clear: If UNLV turns the game into a free-throw parade and converts at a normal rate, the Broncos do not have the offensive ceiling to erase it quickly.

That balance of danger without inevitability is why Pastner sees urgency rather than opportunity in Boise State’s three-game losing streak.

“This is a very good program,” he said. “They’re coming in with desperation. We’ve got to play just as desperate, if not more.”

UNLV plays fast and attacks the paint. The Rebels consistently draw fouls and collapse defenses, generating opportunities at the line.

The issue has been what follows.

Missed free throws have turned advantages into empty trips, and Boise State’s rebounding discipline limits second chances. If UNLV fails to convert its first edge, possessions tend to end quickly.

The formula, Pastner said, is straightforward:

Get downhill.
Finish through contact.
Convert free throws.

If UNLV wins both the paint and the line, it can dictate the game. If not, Boise State’s ability to end possessions quietly shifts momentum.

The Broncos are patient and physical, relying on execution rather than isolation scoring. Their most effective lineups win margins by staying connected defensively and avoiding mistakes.

For UNLV, the challenge is not gambling or speeding the game up. It is rebounding, avoiding fouls, and maintaining focus through complete defensive possessions.

“With our size, we have to be great on the offensive and defensive glass,” Pastner said. “That’s non-negotiable.”

Drew Fielder, Boise State
Fielder averages 13.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor. If he controls the paint, UNLV’s second-chance opportunities diminish.

Javan Buchanan, Boise State
Buchanan contributes 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He stabilizes late possessions and keeps Boise State’s margins intact.

Kimani Hamilton, UNLV
Hamilton leads the Rebels with 14.2 points per game and shoots 51 percent inside the arc. His aggression often determines whether UNLV’s best lineups stay intact.

Tyrin Jones, UNLV
Jones averages 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor. His engagement on the glass is critical.

“Every time you’re not going to the glass, that’s one less offensive rebound,” Pastner said. “You can’t drift.”

Howie Fleming Jr., UNLV
Fleming averages 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He sets the defensive tone and can halt runs before they snowball.

UNLV does not need a perfect game. It needs a finished one. The Rebels have lineups capable of winning. Boise State is built to expose the moment those lineups crack. Games like this often decide whether a team is merely competitive in the Mountain West or capable of surviving the possessions that define March. Boise State will not beat itself. It will wait for missed free throws, lost box-outs, and half-finished possessions, and then take control.

Tuesday night is not about effort. It is about whether UNLV can finally turn grit into closure, because in this league, grit is not optional.

It is the only currency that spends late.

Tipoff: 8 p.m. PT
Where: Thomas & Mack Center
TV: CBS Sports Network