RUNNIN’ REBELS TO FACE SAINT MARY’S IN PHOENIX ON SATURDAY
5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT Jerry Colangelo Classic game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and SSSEN
- Game Notes vs. Saint Mary’s (PDF) | 2023-24 Schedule
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Coming off its first win over a top-10 team in non-conference play in nine years, the UNLV men’s basketball team (4-4) will travel south to Phoenix to face Saint Mary’s (5-5) in the Jerry Colangelo Classic at the Footprint Center on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT.
LAST TIME OUT: Four Runnin’ Rebels scored in double figures as UNLV won 79-64 over No. 8 Creighton Wednesday night at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada, in the Jack Jones Classic. Kalib Boone scored a season-high 25 points on 12 of 17 from the field with a team-high seven rebounds and game-high-tying four steals, and Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 16 points with nine assists, zero turnovers, six rebounds and a steal. Justin Webster added 13 points on 3 of 6 3-pointers, while Keylan Boone, in his first game of the season, scored 10 points with six rebounds. Keylan Boone became eligible earlier that day after a West Virginia judge’s ruling granted all NCAA transfers temporary eligibility.
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring in Kalib Boone (15.6 ppg), Dedan Thomas Jr. (12.3 ppg), Jalen Hill (11.5 ppg), Luis Rodriguez (11.0 ppg) and Keylan Boone (10.0 ppg). Rodriguez leads the team in rebounds (5.8 rpg), while Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (6.5 apg, 13th in nation). Boone also leads the team in field-goal percentage (68.1, eighth in nation) and blocks (2.1 bpg, 32nd in nation), while Rodriguez is the team’s steals leader (2.0 spg). Hill has missed the last two games with a wrist injury.
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: Saint Mary’s enters Saturday’s game with a 5-5 record and is also coming off a win over a ranked opponent. The Gaels have won two straight, including last Saturday at then-No. 13 Colorado State, 64-61. Two Saint Mary’s players are averaging double figures in scoring: Aidan Mahaney (14.9 ppg) and Mitchell Saxen (10.1 ppg). Saxen is the team’s leading rebounder (8.4 rpg), while Mahaney leads in assists (3.2 apg), Saxen in blocks (1.6 bpg) and Augustas Marciulionis in steals (1.4 spg). As a team, Saint Mary’s ranks No. 8 in the country in scoring defense at 60.6 ppg and is in the top 25 nationally in blocks per game (5.3), rebound margin (9.5) and offensive rebounds per game (14.0). Saxen ranks fifth in the country in offensive rebounds per game (4.3). The Gaels finished last season with an overall record of 27-8, tying for the West Coast Conference’s regular season title with a 14-2 league mark. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, falling to eventual national champion UConn. Saint Mary’s was picked to win its league this season, earning five of nine first-place votes in the preseason poll, while Alex Ducas, Mahaney and Saxen were all named to the Preseason All-WCC Team. Led by head coach Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s has 10 underclassmen on its 15-man roster.
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and televised locally in Southern Nevada on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network (SSSEN – Digital 5.2 and Cox 125) with Barry Buetel and Scott Williams 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. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.