RUNNIN’ REBELS TO HOST AIR FORCE TUESDAY NIGHT
$2 beer available on Military Appreciation Night; Game scheduled for 7 p.m. at Thomas & Mack Center
- Game Notes vs. Air Force (PDF) | 2021-22 Schedule
- 2021-22 Statistics (PDF)| 2021-22 Statistics (Web)
- @UNLVAthletics | @TheRunninRebels
- Tickets
The UNLV men’s basketball team will return home to the Thomas & Mack Center to host Air Force on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. The Runnin’ Rebels are looking for their 10th victory in the TMC this season as they are 9-3 at home.
PROMOTIONS: $2 beers will be available Tuesday as it is also Military Appreciation Night. Active duty military are being offered two free tickets. A pregame tailgate in front of the Thomas & Mack Center near the Tarkanian statue will start at 5 p.m.
LAST SEVERAL GAMES: The Runnin’ Rebels had won two straight games before being defeated Saturday afternoon at Utah State. The two-game win streak consisted of UNLV’s first win over a ranked team in two years, handing then-No. 22 Colorado State its only home loss of the season on Jan. 28, 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. UNLV followed that performance up with a 69-58 home victory last Tuesday night over its rival UNR. Hamilton again led the Runnin’ Rebels in scoring against the Aggies on Saturday, tallying a game-high 33 points.
THIS SEASON: Hamilton leads the Runnin’ Rebels (13-10, 5-5) in scoring this season at 21.2 points per game, which ranks first in the Mountain West and eighth in the nation. Williams is second on the team at 14.1 ppg and tops in field-goal percentage at 49.5 (although he has been battling injury as of late). Senior forward Royce Hamm Jr. leads the team and is second in the MW in rebounding with 9.3 per contest (23rd in the country) and is also averaging 8.4 ppg and 1.0 blocks per game. Senior guard Jordan McCabe leads the team in assists at 4.7 apg (seventh in the MW) and is second in the conference and ninth in the country in assist/turnover ratio (3.1).
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: Air Force (10-11, 3-7) defeated UNLV in the first meeting of the year, 69-62, on Jan. 29 in Colorado Springs. The Falcons have lost four of five since, including three straight: vs. Wyoming (63-61) on Jan. 28, at Utah State (73-46) on Feb. 1 and vs. New Mexico (91-77) on Saturday. A.J. Walker leads the Falcons in scoring as he is the only player averaging double figures (15.5 ppg). Ethan Taylor is the team’s rebound and assist leader with 5.4 rpg and 3.8 apg. Air Force is 2-6 on the road this season. The Falcons rank 18th in the country in 3-point field-goal defense (29.1%) and 38th in scoring defense (63.3 ppg).
BROADCAST INFO: Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network with Ben Wilson and Tony Cordasco 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 may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or by visiting the TMC Box Office.