RUNNIN’ REBELS TO HOST NEW MEXICO SATURDAY AT NOON
UNLV is 8-2 at home and has won six of its last nine games overall; Game televised on FOX
After defeating then-No. 22 Utah State on Jan. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center (65-62) and shutting down San Diego State last Saturday in San Diego (76-68), the UNLV men’s basketball team (11-8, 5-3) suffered a home loss to Wyoming (63-61) on Tuesday night.
But the Runnin’ Rebels will look to bounce back as they host New Mexico (16-4, 8-1) in a nationally televised game Saturday at 12 p.m. on FOX.
The Runnin’ Rebels opened league action with an 87-77 home win over Fresno State (Dec. 28), a 77-58 road victory at Air Force (Dec. 31) and a 79-73 home win over San Jose State (Jan. 4), before dropping two straight road games at Boise State (Jan. 7), 81-59, and at Colorado State (Jan. 11), 84-62.
The Runnin’ Rebels, who have won six of their last nine games overall are 8-2 at the Thomas & Mack Center this season.
UNLV has three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Dedan Thomas Jr.’s 15.8 points per game. Jaden Henley, Jailen Bedford, Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry. Julian Rishwain and Jalen Hill are all averaging between 7.8 ppg and 11.8 ppg. Cherry leads in rebounding with 5.5 rpg and blocks with 1.6 bpg (2md in MW), while Thomas Jr. is the team’s assist leader with 4.5 apg (3rd in MW) and Rishwain leads in steals with 1.5 spg.
UNLV is in its fourth season under head coach Kevin Kruger. He has a career record of 69-48 (.590).
PROMOTIONS: Saturday’s game is a part of Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week, which is a nationwide event when basketball coaches across the country unite for a common cause – ending cancer as we know it, for everyone. To raise awareness and bring attention to the cause during this week, coaches will suit up during their game(s) – and of course, wear their most eye-catching sneakers. Comprehensive Cancer Center is the game sponsor.
There are a number of other promotions scheduled for the game:
- Discounted tickets were made available to all Clark County School District staff, who were personally invited to attend the game by Coach Kruger. Local educators will be recognized.
- New UNLV football head coach Dan Mullen will be in attendance, first with a meet and greet in the Strip View Pavilion for fans who have access and he will also address Rebel Nation during a break in the first half.
- There will be a $5,000 shot promotion with one student selected to shoot from half court for a chance to win the money.
- There will be a student ticket giveaway to see stand-up comedian Ali Saddiq.
- There will be a PRS Parachute Drop with $100 gift cards dropped from the rafters. Nine parachutes will also have single-game football tickets, while one winner will catch a pair of 2025 football season tickets.
- The Rebel Girls & Company Championship will be recognized with the team performing its championship routine at halftime.
- The WOW Carwash Free Throw Challenge will debut with one fan having a chance to win as much as three free months of WOW Max Membership.
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 last January (in the MW opener at San Diego State). 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 to Wyoming, four Runnin’ Rebels scored in double figures, led by Dedan Thomas Jr.’s 17 points and four assists. Jaden Henley added 15 points, while Bear Cherry contributed 10 points with nine rebounds and three blocks, and Jalen Hill also scored 10. Wyoming made 14 3-pointers for the game, shooting 9 of 14 (64.3%) from deep in the second half. Trailing by 10 points with less than a minute to play (63-53), UNLV stormed back with an 8-0 run but a Thomas Jr. baseline fadeaway that would have sent the game to overtime bounced off the rim as time expired. Wyoming used a 14-4 run over about six minutes to turn a one-point deficit with 12 minutes to play into a nine-point lead with under six to go. Wyoming led by as many as 11 with 2:30 to play.
ABOUT NEW MEXICO: The Lobos come to Las Vegas having won two in a row: home against Boise State (84-65) on Jan. 17 and home against Fresno State (95-67) on Monday. Their only loss in Mountain West play was at San Jose State (71-70) on Jan. 14. New Mexico is 3-2 in true road games this season. UNM is led in scoring by Donovan Dent with 18.9 ppg (1st in MW). The team’s leading rebounder is Nelly Joseph with 10.1 rpg (1st in MW), while Dent leads in assists with 6.9 apg (T-1st in MW) and field-goal percentage (.498, 6th in MW). Tru Washington is the team’s steals leader with 1.8 spg (5th in MW) and Joseph leads in blocks with 1.6 bpg (3rd in MW). New Mexico is third in the country in fast-break points with 18.3 per game and 19th in scoring at 83.9 ppg. Dent is seventh in the country in assists and Joseph ranks eighth in rebounding and ninth in double-doubles with nine. UNM was predicted to finish second in the Mountain West this season in the preseason coaches’ poll, receiving one of 26 first-place votes. Dent and Joseph were both named to the Preseason All-MW team in October. The Lobos had an overall record of 26-10 last season, finishing tied for sixth in the MW with a league mark of 10-8. UNM has seven upperclassmen on its 16-man roster. Head coach Richard Pitino is in his fourth season at New Mexico with a record of 77-45 (.631) at the school and is in his 13th year overall as a Division I head coach with a career mark of 236-182 (.565).
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on FOX with Guy Haberman and Casey Jacobsen calling the action. Matt Neverett, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield will handle the call on radio, which may be heard on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas and worldwide on SiriusXM 83. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.
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Runnin' Rebels To Host New Mexico Saturday At Noon
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Runnin' Rebels To Host New Mexico Saturday At Noon