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Final Score: U-N-L-V 82 - Illinois State 51

Normal, IL (Sports Network) - Anthony Marshall scored 15 points and No. 24 UNLV built a big halftime lead on the way to an easy 82-51 victory over Illinois State in the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge.

Chace Stanback and Derrick Jasper added 12 points apiece for the Runnin' Rebels (7-0), who opened the season with seven straight wins for the second year in a row.

Austin Hill scored 15 points and Jackie Carmichael had 11 to lead the Redbirds (5-2), who surged to an early 6-2 advantage behind back-to-back baskets from Carmichael.

"We were great in the first three minutes," Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich said of the early lead.

But it was very early.

Stanback scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half and UNLV converted 12 Illinois State turnovers into 13 points on the way to a 39-22 lead at intermission.

Tre'von Willis was fouled on a fast-break layup and completed the three-point play to give UNLV a 22-10 lead midway through the half. Illinois State briefly cut its deficit to eight points, but UNLV kept the pressure on and led by 17 points twice in the final minutes of the frame.

The Runnin' Rebels shot 45.7 percent from the field in the half while holding the Redbirds to just 38.5 percent shooting, including an 0-for-11 performance from three-point range.

Redbird Arena didn't see a comeback from its team, as Illinois State was never closer than the halftime score.

UNLV began the second half on a 13-3 run, taking a 27-point lead at 52-25 on Jasper's jumper four minutes in. The Runnin' Rebels led by as many as 33 points later on when Marshall's jump shot made it 76-43 with 3:50 remaining.