RUNNIN’ REBELS AT NO. 10/11 SAN DIEGO STATE SATURDAY
Game will tip at 3:05 p.m. PST on CBS Sports Network
The UNLV men’s basketball team, winner of eight of its last 10 games and 5-1 in games played away from the Thomas & Mack Center this season, is coming off a road win at New Mexico (76-73) on Wednesday. The victory over the Lobos at The Pit ended their 15-game home conference win streak. The Runnin’ Rebels will now head to San Diego, Calif., to complete what is arguably their most challenging road trip of the season with a game at No. 10/11 San Diego State on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 3:05 p.m.
Saturday’s game vs. the Aztecs will be televised on CBS Sports Network with Ari Wolfe and Steve Lappas calling the action. Jon Sandler and Robert Smith will handle the radio call, which may be heard on ESPN Radio 1100/98.9 FM. A radio broadcast listen link and Gametracker will be available at UNLVRebels.com.
After six straight games at home to open the season, UNLV played two road games during its “Rodeo Road Trip,” losing a close one at then-No. 2 Arizona (63-58) on Dec. 7, then beating Southern Utah on Dec. 14 in Cedar City, which started a seven-game win streak. In the loss to the Wildcats, the Runnin’ Rebels held what is now the nation’s top-ranked team to its second-lowest scoring output of the season and its fourth-closest game in terms of margin of victory.
Roscoe Smith, who leads the nation in rebounding average with 12.5 rpg, is second in the country in double-doubles with 11 (as of Jan. 14). He had just one in two seasons at UConn. Smith grabbed 10 or more rebounds in the first six games of the season (now 13 of 17) with totals of 19, 21 and a career-high 22. Birch, who has eight double-doubles this season, is eighth in the country in blocked shots with 3.5 per contest. He has had double-figure rebounding totals in nine of his 17 games and has blocked at least four shots in a game eight times this season. Dejean-Jones leads the team in scoring with 15.0 ppg (1st in Mountain West play at 22.5 ppg), while Smith (12.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg) is second on the team in scoring and is averaging a double-double. Birch is just shy of averaging a double-double (11.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg). Senior guard Kevin Olekaibe is the fourth Runnin’ Rebel in double figures at 10.8 ppg.
GAME #18
UNLV (11-6, 2-2 Mountain West)
at
NO. 10/11 SAN DIEGO STATE (15-1, 4-0 Mountain West)
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 2014
TIME: 3:05 p.m. PST
SITE: Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (12,414), San Diego, Calif.
TV: CBS Sports Network (Ari Wolfe, Steve Lappas)
RADIO: ESPN Radio 1100 AM/98.9 FM (Jon Sandler, Robert Smith)
ONLINE: Radio (audio) & Gametracker at UNLVRebels.com