RUNNIN’ REBELS AT NO. 25 NEW MEXICO SATURDAY EVENING
UNLV has won three straight; 5 p.m. PT game at sold-out Pit to be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network
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The UNLV men’s basketball team, which has won three straight games, will be back in action for the first time in a week on Saturday, Feb. 10 as it travels to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to face No. 25 New Mexico. The 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT game at the sold-out Pit, will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
LAST TIME OUT: In UNLV’s (12-9, 5-4) last game, which was on Saturday, Feb. 3, the Runnin’ Rebels cruised to a 62-48 home win over Wyoming. Three players were in double figures in scoring for UNLV with Keylan Boone and Dedan Thomas Jr. leading the way with 14 points apiece. Luis Rodriguez added 12. UNLV committed just four turnovers on the night and converted Wyoming’s 14 miscues into 21 points. Leading 31-23 at halftime, UNLV opened the game’s final 20 minutes with an 11-0 spurt to take a 19-point lead with 13 minutes to go.
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring this season in Kalib Boone (12.4 ppg), Keylan Boone (12.1 ppg), Luis Rodriguez (12.0 ppg), Dedan Thomas Jr. (11.9 ppg) and Jalen Hill (10.7 ppg). Rodriguez leads the team in rebounds (6.7 rpg, 8th in MW) and steals (1.8, 2nd in MW), Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (6.2 apg, 14th in nation), and Boone leads in field-goal percentage (60.0, 24th in nation) and blocks (1.7 bpg, 2nd in MW). Hill missed six games with a wrist injury and returned at San Diego State on Jan. 6, but left late in the first half in that game after suffering a knee injury, which an MRI later revealed to be a season-ending ACL tear.
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: No. 25 New Mexico (19-4, 7-3), who is in a four-way tie for first place in the Mountain West and lost to the Runnin’ Rebels in this season’s earlier meeting (83-73) in Las Vegas on Jan. 9, enters Saturday’s game having won six of its last seven contests. The Lobos are coming off a 91-73 win at Wyoming on Tuesday and prior to that lost at home to Boise State (86-78) on Jan. 31. UNM is 11-1 at home this season. Donovan Dent (15.7 ppg, 7th in MW) and Jaelen House (15.5 ppg, 9th in MW) lead New Mexico in scoring, while JT Toppin (8.7 rpg, 2nd in MW) and Nelly Joseph (7.6 rpg, 5th in MW) are the team’s leading rebounders. Dent also leads in assists (5.9 apg, 5th in MW), Toppin in field-goal percentage (64.3, 1st in MW) and blocks (1.9, 1st in MW), and House in steals (2.7 spg, 1st in MW). New Mexico, who is 18th in the country in the NCAA NET rankings, ranks among the top 25 in the country in turnover margin, fastbreak points, scoring margin, scoring offense and steals per game. UNM went 22-12 overall last season, including 8-10 in MW play to finish sixth. The Lobos ended their season with a home loss in the first round of the NIT to Utah Valley. Led by head coach Richard Pitino, New Mexico has eight upperclassmen on its 14-man roster.
BROADCAST INFO: Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network with Chris Lewis and Bob Wenzel calling the action. Jon Sandler, former Runnin’ Rebel Curtis Terry and Matt Neverett will handle the UNLV radio call, which may be heard live on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas and worldwide on SiriusXM 388. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.
