Runnin’ Rebels Play At Home For First Time In 28 Days Saturday

The UNLV men’s basketball team (5-5) will be back home at the Thomas & Mack Center for the first time in 28 days as it hosts UC Riverside (8-4) in its final game of the non-conference season on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. The game will be part of a doubleheader with the Lady Rebels as they will also face UCR in the Thomas & Mack Center that day at 2:30 p.m.

Saturday’s game will be the Runnin’ Rebels’ third in a seven-day span after playing just twice in 14 days. UNLV is coming off a heartbreaking 66-65 loss at No. 22 Dayton on Tuesday. Prior to that, UNLV defeated Pacific 72-65 at its home away from home at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada as part of the Jack Jones Classic.

Before the game against the Tigers, UNLV lost at Creighton on Dec. 7 and also competed at the Arizona Tip-Off in Tempe over Thanksgiving. After entering that event on a three-game win streak, UNLV lost to then-No. 25 Mississippi State and Northwestern on back-to-back days at the event.

The Runnin’ Rebels opened their season with a five-game homestand spanning from Nov. 4-23 with wins over Alabama State, a loss to Memphis, and victories over Omaha, Pepperdine and New Mexico State at the Thomas & Mack Center.

UNLV has five players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Dedan Thomas Jr.’s 16.6 points per game. Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry, Julian Rishwain, Jaden Henley and Jailen Bedford are all averaging between 10.5 and 10.2 ppg. Cherry leads in rebounding with 6.3 rpg, field-goal percentage with 64.2% and blocks with 1.7 bpg, while Thomas Jr. is the team’s assist leader with 4.0 apg and Hill leads in steals with 1.6 spg. Rishwain’s 3-point shooting percentage of 45.9 ranks 28th in the country.

UNLV is in its fourth season under head coach Kevin Kruger. He has a career record of 63-45.

PROMOTIONS: The Holiday 4-Pack is available for Saturday’s game, which includes four tickets to the men’s and women’s doubleheader plus a UNLV holiday ornament starting at just $68 per package. The deadline to purchase is Friday, Dec. 20 at 11:49 p.m. Visit UNLVtickets.com.

TICKETS: Tickets to UNLV men’s basketball home games are on sale at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.

ABOUT THE ROSTER: This season’s UNLV squad features six returners from last year’s team along with 10 newcomers. The newcomers are made up of four Division I transfers, a junior college transfer and five freshmen. UNLV has eight upperclassmen, including two sixth-year players. A total of six players on the roster are playing in their hometown of Las Vegas. The Runnin’ Rebels returned two starters in sophomore guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who was the Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year last season and was named to this season’s preseason all-conference team, and senior forward Rob Whaley Jr. (currently injured) Forward Jalen Hill is also back for a sixth year of college after suffering a season-ending knee injury in January. Thomas Jr. led UNLV in scoring and assists last year with 13.6 and 5.1 per game, respectively, Whaley Jr. had averages of 7.6 ppg and 3.6 rpg, while Hill averaged 10.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg in seven contests.

LAST TIME OUT: In Tuesday’s loss at No. 22 Dayton, Dedan Thomas Jr. missed what would have been the game winner at the buzzer in the 66-65 loss. Thomas Jr. scored a game-high 16 points, while Jaden Henley scored 15 and Julian Rishwain added 12. UNLV held a four-point lead with 1:25 to but it was back and forth from there. A Rishwain 3-pointer with 23 seconds to go gave UNLV the lead again, 65-63, but Dayton’s Malachi Smith made a basket and was fouled, making the free throw, to give the Flyers a 66-65 lead with eight seconds left.

ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE: The Highlanders, who began the season with losses at Oregon (91-76) and at BYU (86-80), have gone 8-2 since and are on a four-game win streak. UCR’s most notable win was at Colorado State, 77-75, in overtime on Nov. 22. The Highlanders have three players in double figures in scoring, led by Barrington Hargress’ 19.4 ppg. Joel Armotrading leads the team in rebounding with 6.4 rpg and blocks with 1.3 bpg, while Hargress is the team’s assist (4.5 apg) and steals (1.0 spg) leader. Hargress ranks 30th in the country in scoring. UCR was predicted to finish fourth in the Big West this season in the preseason coaches’ poll, earning a first-place vote (out of 11). Hargress was named to the Preseason All-Big West Team. The Highlanders had an overall record of 16-18 last season, finishing tied for fifth in the Big West with a league mark of 10-10. UCR has six upperclassmen on its 15-man roster. Head coach Mike Magpayo is in his fifth year at the school with a record of 76-54.

BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network (digital channel 5.2 & 125 on Cox in Las Vegas, also available on YouTube TV) and the Mountain West Network with Matt Neverett, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield calling the action. The trio will also provide the call on radio via simulcast, which may be heard on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas and worldwide on SiriusXM 380. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.

LAST SEASON: The Runnin’ Rebels had their best season in over a decade in 2023-24 as they were invited to the postseason for the first time since 2013, advancing to the NIT quarterfinals and securing their first postseason win in 16 years. In his third season at the helm, Kruger led the squad to 21 wins for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign and guided the team to a 12-4 record over its final 16 games.

UNLV recorded its first win over a top-10 team in four years, its first in non-conference play in nine seasons and beat a total of four ranked teams in a single season for the first time in 11 years. 2023-24 Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year Dedan Thomas Jr. set the Mountain West’s assists record with 174, also leading the nation in assists among freshmen.