LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Odartey Blankson had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead UNLV over Colorado State 86-77 Saturday night.
Blankson went 8-for-13 from the field for the Rebels (8-7, 1-2 Mountain West).
Freshman Curtis Terry had a career-high 13 points and Luis Amundson had 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Rebels led 48-45 at halftime and never trailed in the second half, despite the Rams tying it twice in the first three minutes of the session. UNLV led by as many as nine twice, the first time at 73-64 with 7:32 left in the game.
Colorado State's Sean Morris scored a career-high 31 points.
A freshman guard, Morris tied a school record with nine 3-pointers, going 9-of-14 from behind the arc and 10-for-17 from the field.
Morris started the game 6-for-6 from the field, all from 3-point range, and had 22 first-half points.
Jason Smith, Matt Nelson and Michael Morris each had 10 points for Colorado State (9-8, 1-3). Smith also grabbed eight rebounds.
UNLV went 30-for-56 from the field for 53.6 percent, while Colorado State was 27-for-60 for 45 percent.
After the Rebels jumped to a 4-0 lead to start the game, the Rams went on a 13-2 run and later built two more seven-point leads, the last at 30-23, with 9:07 until halftime.
UNLV later retook the lead at 43-41 with 2:06 before the half.
Jerel Blassingame added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Rebels.
This was the first conference victory for UNLV first-year coach Lon Kruger.
