RUNNIN’ REBELS TO OPEN MOUNTAIN WEST PLAY AT SAN DIEGO STATE
Saturday’s 1 p.m. contest will be televised nationally on CBS
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The UNLV men’s basketball team (7-5) will open Mountain West play at San Diego State (12-2, 1-0) on Saturday, Jan. 6. The 1 p.m. game will be televised nationally on CBS.
WINNERS IN 4 OF LAST 5: The Runnin’ Rebels have won four of their last five games, including entering Saturday’s contest with a three-game win streak. Since Dec. 13, UNLV has defeated then-No. 8 Creighton, Hofstra, Carroll College and Bethesda with its only loss coming in double-overtime to Saint Mary’s by two on a buzzer beater.
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Four UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring this season in Luis Rodriguez (12.5 ppg), Kalib Boone (12.5 ppg), Dedan Thomas Jr. (12.3 ppg) and Jalen Hill (11.5 ppg). Keylan Boone leads the team in rebounds (8.0 rpg), Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (6.3 apg, 16th in nation), Boone leads in field-goal percentage (65.3, 8th in nation) and blocks (1.8 bpg, 1st in MW) and Rodriguez is the team’s steals leader (2.1 spg, 1st in MW). Hill has missed the last six games with a wrist injury but is expected to return Saturday.
ABOUT THE ROSTER: This season’s UNLV squad features seven returners from last year’s team along with seven newcomers. The newcomers are made up of three Division I transfers, a junior college transfer and three freshmen. UNLV has 10 upperclassmen, including five fifth-year seniors. A total of four players on the roster are playing in their hometown of Las Vegas. The Runnin’ Rebels return two starters in Luis Rodriguez and Justin Webster, who averaged 10.7 and 8.2 points per game last season, respectively. Rodriguez led last season’s team in rebounding (5.7 rpg).
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: San Diego State enters Saturday’s game having won five straight games, including its MW opener on Wednesday night over Fresno State (74-47). Prior to that, the Aztecs won at then-No. 13 Gonzaga (84-74) on Dec. 29. Three SDSU players are averaging double figures in scoring: Jaedon LeDee (21.5 ppg, 1st in MW/8th in nation), Reese Waters (13.3 ppg) and Micah Parrish (10.2 ppg). LeDee is also the team’s rebounding leader (8.5 rpg, 2nd in MW), while Lamont Butler leads in assists (3.5 apg) and Parrish leads in steals (1.6 spg). As a team, San Diego State ranks 39th in the country in field-goal percentage defense (39.3) and 44th in 3-point percentage defense (29.2). SDSU went 32-7 overall last season, including 15-3 in MW play. The Aztecs are the defending conference regular-season and tournament champions and ended the season as the national runner-up. Led by head coach Brian Dutcher, SDSU has nine upperclassmen on its 17-man roster.
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on CBS with Rich Waltz and Clark Kellogg calling the action. Jon Sandler, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield 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.