SAN JOSE, Calif. (Interstat) — Howie Fleming scored 21 points and dished out eight assists, leading UNLV to a wire-to-wire 76-62 victory over San Jose State in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at the Event Center.

The Runnin’ Rebels, who never trailed, improved to 9-8 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Spartans fell to 6-12 and 1-3.

UNLV established control from the opening tip, starting the game on a 9-1 run. The Rebels’ offensive efficiency was the story of the first half, as they shot 54% from the field and 50% from three-point range to build a 40-31 halftime lead. San Jose State, despite a 22-point performance from Melvin Bell, could not consistently string together stops to mount a serious challenge.

The most important stretch of the game came early in the second half when UNLV extinguished any lingering hope of a Spartan rally. After San Jose State’s Adrian Myers hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 36-33 with 17:13 remaining, the Rebels responded with a decisive 10-2 run over the next three minutes. The surge was capped by a Tyrin Jones turnaround jumper and a Kimani Hamilton three-pointer off a Fleming assist, pushing the lead back to 46-35.

San Jose State would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way. UNLV’s defense tightened, forcing 10 Spartan turnovers and limiting them to 31 points in each half. The Rebels also dominated in the paint and in transition, outscoring San Jose State 36-22 on field goals inside the arc.

Fleming, a 6-foot-5 guard from Louisville, Kentucky, orchestrated the victory, adding four rebounds and a steal to his stat line while committing just two turnovers in 37 minutes. His performance followed a 17-point effort in an overtime win over Boise State earlier in the week.

Hamilton supported Fleming with 11 points and three assists, while Jones provided a major spark off the bench with 12 points and two blocks in just 18 minutes. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 10 points and four assists for UNLV.

Bell, a junior from Chicago, was the lone consistent offensive threat for San Jose State, playing all 40 minutes. Adrian Myers added 12 points, and Marcus Overstreet contributed 10 points off the bench. The Spartans struggled from the field overall, shooting just 41%, and were hampered by the absence of a secondary scorer to complement Bell.

UNLV’s offensive execution proved superior, as they posted an offensive rating of 131.7 points per 100 possessions, a stark contrast to San Jose State’s 110.8. The Rebels also took excellent care of the ball, committing only seven turnovers, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 11 of 12 attempts.

The announced attendance was 1,874.

The win gives UNLV momentum heading into a tough road test at Utah State on Tuesday. San Jose State looks to regroup on the road at Nevada, also on Tuesday.