RUNNIN’ REBELS TRAVEL TO TEMPE FOR ARIZONA TIP-OFF
UNLV will face No. 25 Mississippi State on Thanksgiving, then either Butler or Northwestern on Friday
The UNLV men’s basketball team (4-1), winner of three straight games, will compete at the Arizona Tip-Off this week, facing No. 25 Mississippi State (5-0) on Thursday, Nov. 28, and then either Butler (4-1) or Northwestern (5-1) on Friday, Nov. 29. The event is being played at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona.
UNLV vs. Mississippi State is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MST/6:30 p.m. PST on Thanksgiving and Friday’s contest will be played at either 5 p.m. MST/4 p.m. PST or 7:30 p.m. MST/6:30 p.m. PST.
The Runnin’ Rebels concluded their season-opening five-game homestand on Saturday with a 72-65 win over New Mexico State. UNLV opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 93-79 win over Alabama State on Nov. 4, a close 80-74 loss to Memphis on Nov. 9, an 80-69 win against Omaha on Nov. 14 and an 80-59 win against Pepperdine on Nov. 20.
Dedan Thomas Jr. leads the team in scoring with 17.8 ppg, while Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry is second at 14.8 ppg. Cherry leads in rebounding (7.0 rpg), field-goal percentage with 80.6% (2nd in the country) and blocks (2.2 bpg, 27th in the country), Thomas Jr. is the team’s assist leader (3.8 apg) and Hill leads in steals (2.8 spg, 20th in the country). Thomas Jr.’s 41 made free throws ranks 12th in the nation. The Runnin’ Rebels are averaging 79.8 ppg.
UNLV is in its fourth season under head coach Kevin Kruger. He has a career record of 62-41.
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 return 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. 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 Saturday’s win over New Mexico State, Dedan Thomas Jr. led all scorers with 22 points and Jalen Hill added 16 as the Runnin’ Rebels won their third straight game, which closed out a season-opening five-game homestand. A total of four UNLV players scored in double figures as Julian Rishwain added 12 points and Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry added 10. Fifteen of Thomas Jr.’s points came in the first half and he scored a career-high 13 from the free-throw line. Hill led UNLV with nine rebounds and Cherry had eight rebounds with five blocks. Rishwain was 3 of 6 on 3-pointers. New Mexico State used a 6-0 run to take a one-point lead at 63-62 with just over four minutes to play, but a Cherry dunk off a feed from Hill put the Runnin’ Rebels back in the lead for good. UNLV closed the game on a 9-2 run with NMSU’s only basket during that stretch coming on a goaltend call. UNLV had just eight turnovers, which was a season low.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE: Mississippi State has opened the season with a home win over West Georgia (96-60) on Nov. 4, a home win over Georgia State (101-66) on Nov. 8, a home win over Southeastern Louisiana (80-59) on Nov. 12, a neutral-site win over Utah (78-73) on Nov. 17 and a road win at SMU (84-79) on Friday. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by Josh Hubbard with 20.2 ppg, while KeShawn Murphy and Claudell Harris Jr. are averaging 11.6 ppg and 10.6 ppg, respectively. Murphy is the team’s leading rebounder at 7.6 rpg. Mississippi State was predicted to finish 10th in the SEC this season with Hubbard earning Preseason Second Team All-SEC recognition. The team had an overall record of 21-14 last season, finishing ninth in the league at 8-10. The Bulldogs lost in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament to Michigan State. Mississippi State, which has eight upperclassmen on its 17-man roster, is coached by Chris Jans, who is in his third year at the school with a mark of 47-27. He is in his ninth year overall as a Division I head coach with a career mark of 190-71.
ABOUT BUTLER: Butler has opened the season with a home win over Missouri State (72-65) on Nov. 4, a home loss to Austin Peay (68-66) on Nov. 8, a home win against Western Michigan (85-65) on Nov. 11, a home win over SMU (81-70) on Nov. 15 and a home win against Merrimack (78-39) on Friday. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by Pierre Brooks II with 16.6 ppg, while Jahmyl Telford and Patrick McCaffery are averaging 15.2 ppg and 14.4 ppg, respectively. Andre Screen is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.2 rpg. Butler was predicted to finish eighth in the Big East this season with Brooks II and Telfort earning Preseason Second Team All-Big East recognition. The team had an overall record of 18-15 last season, finishing eighth in the league at 9-11. The Bulldogs lost in the first round of the 2024 NIT at home to Minnesota. Butler, which has six upperclassmen on its 15-man roster, is coached by Thad Matta, who is in his third year at the school with a mark of 60-42. He is in his 20th year overall as a Division I head coach with a career mark of 475-188.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN: Northwestern has opened the season with a home win over Leigh (90-46) on Nov. 4, a road loss at Dayton (71-66) on Nov. 9, a home win against UIC (83-74) on Nov. 12, a home win in overtime against Eastern Illinois (67-58) on Nov. 15, a home win over Montana State (72-69) on Nov. 19 and a home win over Pepperdine (68-50) on Friday. The Wildcats are led in scoring by Nick Martinelli with 23.8 ppg, while Brooks Barnhizer and Jalen Leach are averaging 16.5 ppg and 15.8 ppg, respectively. Barnhizer is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.0 rpg. Northwestern was predicted to finish 16th in the Big Ten this season with Barnhizer earning Preseason All-Big Ten recognition. The team had an overall record of 22-12 last season, finishing tied for third in the league at 12-8. The Wildcats lost in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion UConn. Northwestern, which has eight upperclassmen on its 14-man roster, is coached by Chris Collins, who is in his 12th year at the school with a career record of 183-175.
BROADCAST INFO: The Arizona Tip-Off will be televised live on CBS Sports Network with Matt McCall and Jack Benjamin calling the action. Matt Neverett, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield will handle the radio call on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas. 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, winning a postseason game for the first time 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.
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Runnin' Rebels Open Arizona Tip-Off Against No. 25 Mississippi State Thursday
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Runnin' Rebels Open Arizona Tip-Off Against No. 25 Mississippi State Thursday