No. 18 UNLV 73, Northern Iowa 59: Freshman Anthony Bennett scored 20 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds to lead the host Runnin' Rebels to the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge victory.

Bennett had 14 of his game-high total in the first half and UNLV (10-1) played a spotless period to carry a 43-22 lead into the break. The Runnin' Rebels hit 6-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first half and never trailed on the way to their eighth straight win.

Northern Iowa (6-5) was led by Marc Sonnen with 15 points. The Panthers cut a 24-point deficit to 13 with six minutes left to play but twice missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities from the free throw line and never got any closer. Northern Iowa entered the game 10th in free-throw percentage.

Deon Mitchell, who entered the game leading the Panthers in scoring at 13.7 points, missed all seven of his shots from the field and finished with one point.

UNLV's Khem Birch, a transfer from Pitt who became eligible Monday, scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench. Anthony Marshall added nine points and four assists.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Northern Iowa beat UNLV in its only prior meeting, that coming in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010 in a game played at Oklahoma City. ...The Mountain West won the Challenge 6-3. ... It was Northern Iowa's first loss in the four-year history of the tournament.