UNLV 66, Nevada 54

Jan 30, 2013, 12:27 am

LAS VEGAS -- Khem Birch scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead UNLV to a 66-54 victory over intrastate rival Nevada on Tuesday night.

After falling behind 11-10 with 13:26 left in the first half, the Runnin' Rebels (17-4, 4-2 Mountain West) used a 9-1 run to go up by seven with 9:10 left before halftime, and UNLV never looked back. The win was UNLV's fourth in five games and its seventh in a row against Nevada.

Anthony Bennett added 13 points and nine rebounds.

The game was the first between the programs as Mountain West members and the Silver State rivals' first as conference foes since 1995-96, when both were members of the Big West.

Jerry Evans Jr. and Deonte Burton scored 14 points apiece for the Wolf Pack (11-9, 2-4), and Evans pulled down nine rebounds.

Both teams next play Saturday: UNLV at Boise State, Nevada at New Mexico.