LAS VEGAS - The first Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge in Southern Illinois University history turned into a classic Saturday night.

The Salukis led 18-6 to start at UNLV but saw the Runnin' Rebels take a seven-point lead in the final minute and hold on for a 78-69 victory. SIU (2-1) failed to score the final 1:38 of the game to suffer its first loss of the season.

UNLV (3-0) moved to 55-7 at the Thomas & Mack Center since 2006.

SIU started quickly in its first road game of the season, getting a steal on the opening possession. Nick Evans threw it ahead to Tony Freeman, who easily put SIU ahead 17 seconds into the game.

The Salukis jumped ahead, 18-6, after a John Freeman 3 at the 13:44 mark, but UNLV would do it does best to get back into it. The Rebels, who scored 55 second-half points in their win over Nevada earlier this week, cut the lead to a possession in less than four minutes. As Evans went out with his second foul in less than two minutes, SIU went away from its inside game, and the Rebels got within one off a Kendall Wallace 3-pointer.

Two free throws from Tre'Von Willis gave UNLV its first lead of the game with 9:16 to go in the first half. A Tony Freeman 3-pointer got it back for the Salukis, who only made 4-of-13 3s in the opening 20 minutes but took a three-point lead into the locker rooms.

Entering the game, SIU was shooting 52.3 percent from 3-point range.

The Freemans led the charge in the first half for SIU. John had 11 and Tony had 10 points, respectively.

Derrick Jasper, a transfer from Kentucky, led the Rebels with 11 points in 11 minutes.

todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com / 618-351-5087