RUNNIN’ REBELS HOST AIR FORCE FRIDAY NIGHT AT 6:30 PM
Kids Night features tickets for $5 in the balcony and $20 in the lower bowl; Half off chicken tenders for 50% Off Friday
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The UNLV men’s basketball team (16-11 overall, 5-10 Mountain West) will return home to the Thomas & Mack Center to host Air Force on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m.
PROMOTIONS: Friday night’s game will be Kids Night with tickets for $5 in the balcony and $20 in the lower bowl (use promo code KIDS, deadline to purchase at discount is Thursday night). The first 100 kids in attendance will receive a UNLV Pop It. It will also be another 50% Off Friday with this game featuring half off chicken tenders on the concourse. The Rebel Fest Tailgate will once again be happening pregame near the Tark Statue and will feature the Sin City Wings food truck, a live DJ, inflatables and more (the first 100 UNLV students will receive free chicken wings). The first 500 UNLV students at the game will receive a free Runnin’ Rebels T-shirt.
LAST TIME OUT: In their last game, which was Sunday night at Boise State, the Runnin’ Rebels fought to the end but came up just short 73-69. It was their third straight loss. UNLV was without two starters because of injury (Luis Rodriguez and Elijah Parquet). EJ Harkless and Shane Nowell, who made his first career start, each scored 14 points. The back-and-forth game had seven lead changes and eight ties throughout. Each team’s largest lead was only seven points.
THIS SEASON: Harkless leads the team in scoring with 18.2 ppg (3rd in MW) and is contributing 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game (7th in MW). Keshon Gilbert is second in scoring at 12.4 ppg with a team-leading 3.4 apg and 1.9 spg (2nd in MW). Rodriguez is third in scoring with 11.2 ppg, while leading the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg). He is second on the squad in steals (1.9 spg, 3rd in MW). David Muoka is third on the team in rebounding (4.6 rpg) and leads the squad in blocks with 1.4 bpg (4th in MW).
This season’s Runnin’ Rebel squad features six returners and nine newcomers, including six transfers from the Division I level. The 15-man roster is made up of 10 upperclassmen.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Air Force (14-15, 5-11) enters Friday’s game having split each of its last four outings: won at home over New Mexico (89-77), lost at Utah State (80-65), won at Wyoming (75-69) and lost at home to Fresno State (74-69). The Falcons are led in scoring by Jake Heidbreder (14.8 ppg, 9th in MWW) and Rytis Petraitis (10.1 ppg). Petraitis leads the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg, 9th in MW) and steals (1.0 spg), while Ethan Taylor is the team’s assist leader (3.3 apg) and Corbin Green leads in blocks (1.4, 3rd in MW). Air Force is 4-7 in true road games this season. AFA is 16th in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (29.5) and 22nd in effective field-goal percentage (.552) Air Force was 11-18 overall last season and finished 10th in the MW last season with a conference mark of 4-13. This year’s team was picked to finish last in the MW’s preseason poll. Air Force’s 19-man roster includes just three upperclassmen. The Falcons are coached by Joe Scott, who is in his seventh season at the school with a mark of 81-116 (.411) and his 19th season overall as a collegiate head coach with a career record of 265-293 (.475).
LAST MEETING: This will mark the first and only regular-season meeting between UNLV and Air Force this season. In their last meeting, which was Feb. 8, 2022 at the Thomas & Mack Center, the Runnin’ Rebels won 78-44. UNLV shot 52% from the field in that game, including almost 58% on 3-pointers. Bryce Hamilton led all scorers with 24 points.
TICKETS: UNLV men’s basketball’s ticket pricing has been adjusted for the 2022-23 season, with affordability and family-friendly value at the forefront of the changes. Tickets may be purchased online at UNLVtickets.com, on the phone by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or in person at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.
BROADCAST INFO: Friday’s game will be televised on CBS Sports Network with John Sadak and Steve Wolf 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.