RUNNIN’ REBELS HOST FRESNO STATE FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8 PM
UNLV looking for fourth straight win; One lucky UNLV student will win free tuition
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The UNLV men’s basketball team (15-7 overall, 4-6 Mountain West), which has won three straight games, will be back at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday, Feb. 3 to host Fresno State at 8 p.m.
PROMOTIONS: Friday’s game, which is presented by Toyota, will feature multiple giveaways for UNLV students, including free tuition for a semester, free T-shirts (500), free Future concert tickets and free chicken wings at the pregame Rebel Fest. UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield will be at the controls of the Findlay Toyota T-Shirt Cannon for the second straight year with one shirt containing the free-tuition prize, which will be shot toward the student section during the second half. The game is also a part of the season-long 50% Off Fridays promotion with half-price hot dogs available during this Friday’s game. Although the free food during the pregame Rebel Fest tailgate at Tark Plaza is for students only, the public is invited to attend the event, which starts at 6 p.m. and also includes a live DJ and inflatables. Season ticket holders who qualified for the complimentary Nike shoes may pick them up beginning at 6 p.m. Friday night. Details will be emailed directly to eligible season ticket holders. In addition, new UNLV volleyball head coach Malia Shoji will be introduced and featured as the pregame “Lights, Please” announcer.
LAST TIME OUT: UNLV won its third game in a row on Tuesday night with an 83-71 victory at Colorado State. Five Runnin’ Rebel players scored in double figures and the bench contributed 33 points. UNLV led by as many as 22 points deep into the second half. EJ Harkless led UNLV with 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting, also contributing five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Keshon Gilbert added 16 points on 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers, with five rebounds and two steals, while Luis Rodriguez and Justin Webster each scored 11 points. Keyshawn Hall scored 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting, including 2 of 3 on 3-pointers.
THIS SEASON: Harkless leads the team in scoring with 17.0 ppg (4th in MW) and is contributing 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game (8th in MW). Keshon Gilbert is second in scoring at 12.1 ppg with a team-leading 3.6 apg (9th in MW) and 2.1 spg (3rd in MW, 36th in the country). Luis Rodriguez, who returned from injury at CSU after missing two games, is third in scoring with 12.0 ppg, while leading the team in both rebounding (5.8 rpg, 10th in MW) and steals (2.2 spg, 2nd in MW, 28th in the country). David Muoka is third on the team in rebounding (4.7 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: Since defeating UNLV on Jan. 21 in Fresno, the Bulldogs (7-14, 3-7) have lost three straight: at Boise State (63-53), at home to Utah State (70-53) and at Wyoming (85-62) on Tuesday night. Fresno State is 2-7 in true road games this season. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by Isaih Moore (11.9 ppg), Jemari Baker Jr. (10.9 ppg) and Isaiah Hill (10.4 ppg). Moore is the team’s rebound leader (7.7 rpg, 3rd in MW), while Isaiah Hill leads in assists (3.7 apg, 8th in MW). Fresno State is No. 2 in the MW in scoring defense, limiting its opponents to just 64.3 ppg. Last season, the Bulldogs were 23-13 overall and finished sixth in the MW with an 8-9 league mark. Fresno State won The Basketball Classic postseason event in April, defeating Coastal Carolina in the championship game. This season’s team was picked to finish seventh out of 11 in the MW’s preseason poll with Joseph Hunter being selected as the league’s Preseason Freshman of the Year. Fresno State’s 15-man roster includes 11 upperclassmen. The Bulldogs are coached by former UNLV assistant Justin Hutson. He is in his fifth year at the school with a career record of 76-67 (.531).
LAST MEETING: In the season’s earlier meeting in Fresno on Jan. 21, the Bulldogs got past the Runnin’ Rebels 76-63. EJ Harkless led UNLV with 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Keshon Gilbert scored 11 points and Keyshawn Hall added 10 points with five rebounds. Fresno State shot 54.3% from the field (25 of 46) and 47.4% on 3-pointers (9 of 19).
TICKETS: Tickets to the game may be purchased at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.
BROADCAST INFO: Friday’s game will be televised on FS1 with Tim Neverett and Richie Schueler 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.