RUNNIN’ REBELS HOST INTRASTATE RIVAL UNR TUESDAY
UNLV to play just second home game in 18-day span; 7:30 p.m. contest at Thomas & Mack Center
- Game Notes vs. UNR (PDF) | 2021-22 Schedule
- 2021-22 Statistics (PDF)| 2021-22 Statistics (Web)
- @UNLVAthletics | @TheRunninRebels
- Tickets
The UNLV men’s basketball team will be back at home for a game for just the second time in an 18-day span as it hosts intrastate rival UNR on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. The game is part of the Silver State Series, presented by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network.
PROMOTIONS: A pregame student tailgate, featuring free food from Raising Cane’s, will start at 5:30 p.m. Food trucks will also be on-site for the general public. The tailgate will also have games, a live DJ and giveaways, including free T-shirts and a chance to win free Raising Cane’s for a year. In addition, all fans are encouraged to wear red to the game. The recently launched student loyalty program, which will culminate in a custom Nike Air Force 1 shoe giveaway, will continue Tuesday. To be eligible to receive the pair of shoes, UNLV students must bring the card they received before the San Jose State game and have it punched at the student entrance at Cox Pavilion prior to, and at the conclusion of, the UNR game.
LAST TIME OUT: The Runnin’ Rebels defeated a ranked team for the first time in two years, handing then-No. 22 Colorado State its first home loss of the season on Friday, 88-74. Senior guard Bryce Hamilton scored a career-high 42 points, which tied for the ninth-best single-game scoring performance in UNLV history and marked the first time a Runnin’ Rebel scored at least 40 points in a game since Trevor Diggs had 49 over 20 years ago in 2001.
MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hamilton was honored Monday as the league’s Player of the Week. It was the first such honor for UNLV this season and the third of his career. He averaged 32.5 points per game, while shooting 52.6% (20 of 38) from the field and 50.0% on 3-pointers (11 of 22) over the two games last week. He also grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game.
THIS SEASON: Hamilton leads the Runnin’ Rebels (12-9, 4-4) in scoring this season at 20.8 points per game, which ranks first in the Mountain West. Junior forward Donovan Williams second on the team at 13.9 ppg and tops in field-goal percentage at 49.2. Senior forward Royce Hamm Jr. is second in the MW in rebounding with 9.5 per contest (20th in the country) and is also averaging 9.5 ppg and 1.0 blocks per game. McCabe leads the team in assists at 4.6 apg (seventh in the MW) and is second in the conference and 19th in the country in assist/turnover ratio (2.9).
UNLV has had 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.
UNLV’s 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.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: UNR (9-9, 3-4) has lost two straight games and three of its last four heading into Tuesday night’s contest. The Wolf Pack’s last four games: home loss to Wyoming on Jan. 17 (77-67), home win vs. Fresno State on Jan. 21 (77-73), road loss at Colorado State on Tuesday (77-66) and home loss vs. Utah State on Saturday (78-49). Grant Sherfield leads the team in scoring at 18.3 ppg and assists at 6.2 apg, while Warren Washington is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.2 rpg. UNR is 1-4 in true road games this season.
BROADCAST INFO: Tuesday’s game will be televised nationally on FS1 with Noah Eagle and Casey Jacobsen 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 and through the UNLV Rebels App.
TICKETS: Tickets for Tuesday’s rivalry game may be purchased online at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.