RUNNIN’ REBELS TRAVEL TO WYOMING FOR TUESDAY NIGHT GAME
UNLV has won seven of last eight games; 6 p.m. PT contest to be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network
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The UNLV men’s basketball team, winner of seven of its last eight games, will head back out on the road to play at Wyoming on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT at Arena-Auditorium (11,612) in Laramie.
LAST TIME OUT: UNLV (16-10, 9-5, T-4th in MW) recorded its third win of the season over a ranked team when it defeated then-No. 22 Colorado State 66-60 on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. It marks the first time the Runnin’ Rebels have achieved the feat since 2012-13. It was also their seventh win in their last eight outings. Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half, also grabbing a team-high-tying six rebounds and making all 12 of his free throw attempts. Luis Rodriguez added 14 points with six rebounds as he was also perfect from the free throw line, making all eight of his tries including 6 of 6 in the game’s last minute. Keylan Boone also scored in double figures with 11 points. UNLV made 95.7% of its free throws (22 of 23) in the second half, including each of its final 12 attempts of the game (in the final 3:46).
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring this season in Dedan Thomas Jr. (12.8 ppg), Keylan Boone (12.0 ppg), Kalib Boone (11.6 ppg), Luis Rodriguez (11.5 ppg) and Jalen Hill (10.7 ppg). Rodriguez leads the team in rebounds (6.6 rpg, 8th in MW) and steals (1.7 spg, 2nd in MW), Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (5.6 apg, 4th in MW, 29th in nation), and Boone leads in 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: Wyoming (13-14, 6-8, 8th in MW) enters Tuesday’s game having lost two straight games and five of its last six. Most recently, the Cowboys lost at UNR (76-58) on Feb. 20 and at home to Boise State (92-72) on Saturday. UW is 8-4 at home this season, 2-9 in true road games and 3-1 on neutral courts. Sam Griffin leads the team in scoring with 17.4 ppg (3rd in MW), while Cam Manyawu is the team’s leading rebounder (6.4 rpg, 9th in MW). Griffin also leads in assists (3.4 apg, 9th in MW) and field goal percentage (44.3, 9th in MW). Wyoming is 24th in the country in 3-point percentage (37.1). The Cowboys went 9-22 overall last season, including 4-14 in MW play to finish 11th in the league standings. Led by head coach Jeff Linder, Wyoming has nine underclassmen on its 15-man roster.
LAST TIME AGAINST WYOMING: In UNLV’s last meeting with Wyoming, earlier this season on Feb. 3 at the Thomas & Mack Center, the Runnin’ Rebels cruised to their then-third-straight victory by the final score of 62-48. Three players were in double figures in scoring for the Runnin’ Rebels with Keylan Boone and Dedan Thomas Jr. leading the way with 14 points apiece. Luis Rodriguez added 12. The Cowboys, who entered the contest having won four of their previous five games, had their two-game win streak snapped. Cam Manyawu led them in scoring with 13 points, while Brendan Wenzel had 12. Mason Walters had a game-high 13 rebounds. 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 (42-23) with 13 minutes to go.
BROADCAST INFO: Tuesday night’s game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network with Rich Waltz and Dan Dickau 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 and worldwide on SiriusXM 383. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.
