RUNNIN’ REBELS AT AIR FORCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
9 p.m. MT/8 p.m. PT game to be televised nationally on FS1
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After having its five-game win streak ended on Saturday, the UNLV men’s basketball team will look to get back in the win column as it heads out on the road to play at Air Force on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The 9 p.m. MT/8 p.m. PT game will be televised nationally on FS1.
LAST TIME OUT: UNLV (14-10, 7-5) fell to UNR 69-66 at the Thomas & Mack Center in its most recent game on Saturday night, ending the Runnin’ Rebels’ five-game win streak. Dedan Thomas Jr. led UNLV with a game-high-tying 19 points and a game-high eight assists (with just one turnover). Keylan Boone added 15 points and Rob Whaley Jr. contributed 11. The Runnin’ Rebels held a nine-point lead with five minutes to go, but a 10-0 UNR run gave the Wolf Pack their first lead of the game since late in the first half. UNR shot 63.2% from the field in the second half, but UNLV had multiple chances with under a minute to regain the lead but couldn’t convert.
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring this season in Dedan Thomas Jr. (12.7 ppg), Keylan Boone (12.1 ppg), Kalib Boone (12.0 ppg), Luis Rodriguez (11.5 ppg) and Jalen Hill (10.7 ppg). Rodriguez leads the team in rebounds (6.7 rpg, 8th in MW) and steals (1.8, 2nd in MW), Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (6.0 apg, 4th in MW, 20th in nation), and Boone leads in blocks (1.6 bpg, 2nd in MW). Hill missed six games with a wrist injury and returned at San Diego State on Jan. 6, but left late in the first half in that game after suffering a knee injury, which an MRI later revealed to be a season-ending ACL tear.
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: Air Force enters Wednesday’s game having lost six straight games after winning at UNLV on Jan. 23. Overall, the Falcons have dropped 14 of their last 15 contests. Most recently, Air Force lost at home to San Diego State (77-64) on Feb. 6, Fresno State (68-66) on Feb. 10 and at San Jose State (73-66) on Feb. 13. The Falcons are 4-9 at home this season. Three AFA players are averaging double figures in scoring: Rytis Petraitis with 15.5 ppg, Beau Becker with 15.1 ppg and Ethan Taylor with 14.7 ppg. Petraitis is also the team’s leading rebounder at 6.2 rpg. Jeffrey Mills leads in assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.5 spg), and Beau Becker leads in field-goal percentage (50.7%). Becker (41.7%) and Taylor (37.0%) lead in 3-point field-goal percentage and rank No. 2 and 3 in the Mountain West. Nationally, the Falcons are 27th in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage (37.3%), 36th in 3-pointers made per game (9.0) and 42nd in effective field goal percentage (54.4). Taylor is 18th in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage. Air Force went 14-18 overall last season, including 5-13 in MW play to finish 10th. Led by head coach Joe Scott, the Falcons have 13 underclassmen on their 20-man roster.
LAST TIME AGAINST AIR FORCE: The Falcons shocked UNLV in their meeting earlier this season on Jan. 23 at the Thomas & Mack Center as Air Force won 90-58. Rytis Petraitis led AFA with a triple-double of 18 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, while four other Air Force players scored in double figures, led by Ethan Taylor’s 22 points. The Runnin’ Rebels had three score in double figures, led by Justin Webster’s 14 points before he suffered an ankle injury. He left the game about halfway through the second half. Air Force shot 55.4% from the field (31 of 56), including 50% on 3-pointers (14 of 28), while UNLV was at 31.6% (18 of 57) and 17.9% (5 of 28), respectively.
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on FS1 with Drew Goodman and Katy Winge 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 and worldwide on SiriusXM 383. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.