RUNNIN’ REBELS TO FACE NO. 4 MICHIGAN AT T-MOBILE ARENA FRIDAY NIGHT
9:30 p.m. game in Roman Main Event will be televised nationally on ESPN2
- Game Notes vs. No. 4 Michigan (PDF) | 2021-22 Schedule
- 2021-22 Statistics (PDF)| 2021-22 Statistics (Web)
- @UNLVAthletics | @TheRunninRebels
The UNLV men’s basketball team (3-0) will head two miles to the west for its next two games as it competes in the Roman Main Event at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip, Friday and Sunday, Nov. 19 and 21. The Runnin’ Rebels will face No. 4 Michigan in the second contest of the tournament on Friday at 9:30 p.m., which follows Wichita State vs. Arizona in game one.
The Runnin’ Rebels opened the 2021-22 campaign at the Thomas & Mack Center with wins over Gardner-Webb (64-58), Cal (55-52) and North Dakota State (64-62). Senior guard Bryce Hamilton leads the team in scoring at 17.0 points per game, with junior forward Donovan Williams second at 11.0 ppg and then senior guard Jordan McCabe with 10.0 ppg. Senior forward Royce Hamm Jr. leads the Mountain West in rebounding with 13.7 per contest (fifth in the country) and is also averaging 9.3 ppg and 2.7 bpg, while shooting 50% from the field.
In Kevin Kruger’s debut as head coach, Hamm Jr. had a career-high double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds, also tying his career high with four blocks, while Hamilton was the game’s leading scorer with 22 against Gardner-Webb. In the win over Cal, Hamilton led all scorers again with 12 points, while senior Michael Nuga added 10 points and six rebounds. Hamm Jr. contributed seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks, and against NDSU, Hamilton had 17 points, Williams scored 15 and McCabe added 13, with Hamm Jr. pulling down 17 rebounds.
UNLV has an entirely new look this year with nine transfers – eight coming from the Division I level, including four from Big 12 programs. Ten of the Runnin’ Rebels’ 13 scholarship players had yet to play in a game in a UNLV uniform before this season began.
The returners include senior guards Hamilton and Marvin Coleman and the 15-man roster includes 13 upperclassmen. Hamilton was selected to the 2021-22 Preseason All-Mountain West Team in October. Initially declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft, the second-team All-MW honoree last season who led the Runnin’ Rebels in scoring with 17.9 points per game decided to return to the program.
No. 4 Michigan (2-1) opened the season with a home win over Buffalo (88-76), a neutral-site win over Prairie View A&M (77-49) and a home loss to Seton Hall (67-65). Hunter Dickinson leads the team in scoring (18.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg).
Friday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with John Schriffen and Robbie Hummel calling the action. Jon Sandler, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield (sidelines) will handle the UNLV radio call, which may be heard live on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com.
Tickets for the Roman Main Event may be purchased at RunninRebelsOnTheStrip.com.