UNLV pulls away from Hawaii, 41-21

LAS VEGAS -- Keith Whitely ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, Lexington Thomas added 120 more yards with a touchdown, and UNLV earned a 41-21 victory over Hawaii on Saturday. Blake Decker finished with 258 yards and two long touchdown passes for the Rebels (3-6, 1/3 Mountain West), a 75-yard strike to Devonte Boyd and an 85-yard bomb to Aaron Criswell . Boyd finished with 5 catches 120 yards total. UNLV never trailed, but the game remained close late into the third quarter when Decker found Boyd to push the Rebel lead to two possessions, 24-14. A Melvin Davis 2-yard TD run for Hawaii cut the deficit to 27-21 with 11:46 remaining, but Thomas and Whitley each scored late in the fourth to put the game away. Paul Harris had 190 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Rainbow Warriors (2-8, 0-6), who were playing their first game after firing head coach Norm Chow.