RUNNIN’ REBELS SET FOR LAS VEGAS CLASH WITH WASHINGTON STATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON
UNLV is off to its best start to a season in 12 years and one of only 10 undefeated teams remaining in the country; Will face Cougars at at 1:30 p.m.
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Off to its best start to a season in 12 years and one of only 10 undefeated teams remaining in the country, the UNLV men’s basketball team (9-0) will face Washington State on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena as part of the Las Vegas Clash. The doubleheader event also includes No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 14 Indiana at 4 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: In its first-ever game in Henderson, UNLV led by as many as 21 in the second half as it defeated Hawaii 77-62 on Wednesday night at the Dollar Loan Center. In moving to 9-0 with the win, UNLV has matched its last 9-0 start, which occurred during the 2010-11 season. Luis Rodriguez led all scorers for the second straight game with 18 points, while grabbing seven rebounds with two steals, while Justin Webster and Keshon Gilbert each scored 13, and EJ Harkless added 10. David Muoka scored nine points with game highs of nine rebounds and three blocks. UNLV, which entered the contest ranked No. 1 in the nation in forcing turnovers, forced Hawaii into 18 miscues, which marked the ninth straight contest that its opponent has committed at least 17 turnovers.
ABOUT THE ROSTER: This season’s UNLV squad features six returners, nine newcomers, including six transfers from the Division I level, and a total of 10 upperclassmen. The lone returning starter is 6-foot guard Jordan McCabe, who was a senior last season and returns for his fifth year for 2022-23. Other returners include 6-3 senior guard Justin Webster, 6-10 senior center David Muoka, 6-4 sophomore guard Keshon Gilbert, 6-7 senior forward Victor Iwuakor and 6-3 senior guard Cameron Burist.
The newcomers include 6-10 redshirt sophomore forward Isaiah Cottrell, who is originally from Las Vegas and transferred to UNLV from West Virginia, 6-7 freshman guard Keyshawn Hall from Cleveland, Ohio, 6-3 fifth-year guard EJ Harkless, who transferred from Oklahoma, 5-11 sophomore guard Jackie Johnson III, who transferred from Duquesne, 6-10 junior forward Karl Jones, who transferred from LA Southwest College, 6-6 sophomore guard Shane Nowell, who transferred from Arizona, 6-4 fifth-year guard Elijah Parquet, who transferred from Colorado, 6-6 senior guard Luis Rodriguez, who transferred from Ole Miss and 6-1 junior guard Nick Walters, who transferred from the College of Southern Nevada.
After nine contests, Gilbert leads the team in scoring with 14.4 ppg, while shooting 51.3% from the field and 60.0% on 3-pointers, in addition to averaging 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Harkless is scoring 14.0 ppg with 4.1 rebounds per game, and 2.9 apg and 1.2 spg. Rodriguez is also averaging double figures in scoring at 12.6 ppg and rebounding with 5.9 rpg, while leading the team in steals at 2.3 per game (31st in the nation). David Muoka is leading the team in rebounding and blocks with 6.7 rpg and 1.8 bpg.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Washington State (4-4) started the season with a win over Texas State (83-61) before losing to Mountain West-member Boise State (71-61). The Cougars then lost at Prairie View A&M (70-59, won at Eastern Washington (82-56) and defeated Detroit Mercy (96-54) before opening Pac-12 play with two losses: at Oregon (74-60) and at home to Utah in overtime (67-65). WSU is coming off a win over Northern Kentucky (68-47) on Wednesday night. WSU has four players averaging in double figures in scoring, led by TJ Bamba (16.3 ppg). Mouhamed Gueye is second in scoring (14.3 ppg) and leads the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg). Justin Powell is the team’s assist leader (4.4 apg), while he is also in double figures in scoring (11.5 ppg). Washington State finished the 2021-22 season with an overall record of 22-15, finishing fifth in the Pac-12 with an 11-9 league mark. This season’s team was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12’s preseason poll. Gueye was named to the preseason all-conference team. The Cougars’ 18-man roster includes nine upperclassmen. WSU is coached by Kyle Smith, who is in his fourth season at the school with a record of 56-48 (.538) and in his 13th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 220-170 (.564).
TICKETS: Tickets to Saturday’s Las Vegas Clash doubleheader at the MGM Grand Garden Arena are available and may be purchased by visiting LasVegasClash.com.
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery 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 will be available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.
LAST SEASON: The Runnin’ Rebels turned in a successful season in 2021-22, their first under head coach Kevin Kruger, winning 18 games, which marked the most for UNLV in four years. The team went 10-8 in Mountain West play, exceeding preseason expectations with a fifth-place finish in the league standings. With a revamped roster that included nine transfers, the team continually improved as the season progressed, advancing 43 spots in the KenPom ratings along the way. Under Kruger’s leadership, three UNLV individuals earned All-Mountain West accolades last season: Bryce Hamilton (First Team), Donovan Williams (Sixth Man of the Year) and Royce Hamm Jr. (Honorable Mention).