RUNNIN’ REBELS AT NEW MEXICO WEDNESDAY
Game will tip at 6:15 p.m. PST on CBS Sports Network
After not playing a game this past weekend, the UNLV men’s basketball team will travel to Albuquerque, N.M., to face New Mexico, who is receiving votes in both polls, on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7:15 p.m. MST/6:15 p.m. PST. The Runnin’ Rebels who had a seven-game win streak snapped against Air Force (75-68) on Jan. 4, are coming off their second straight loss, which was last Wednesday against Nevada, Reno (74-71).
Wednesday’s game vs. the Lobos will be televised on CBS Sports Network with Rich Waltz and Doug Gottlieb calling the action. Jon Sandler and Robert Smith will handle the radio call, which may be heard on ESPN Radio 1100/98.9 FM. A radio broadcast listen link and Gametracker will be available at UNLVRebels.com.
After six straight games at home to open the season, UNLV played two road games during its “Rodeo Road Trip,” losing a close one at then-No. 2 Arizona (63-58) on Dec. 7, then beating Southern Utah on Dec. 14 in Cedar City, which started the seven-game win streak. In the loss to the Wildcats, the Runnin’ Rebels held what is now the nation’s top-ranked team to its second-lowest scoring output of the season and its fourth-closest game in terms of margin of victory.
Roscoe Smith, who leads the nation in rebounding average with 12.8 rpg, is second in the country in double-doubles with 11. He had just one in two seasons at UConn. Smith grabbed 10 or more rebounds in the first six games of the season (now 13 of 16) with totals of 19, 21 and a career-high 22. Birch, who has seven double-doubles this season, is sixth in the country in blocked shots with 3.7 per contest. He has had double-figure rebounding totals in eight of his 16 games and has blocked at least four shots in a game eight times this season. Dejean-Jones leads the team in scoring with 14.5 ppg (1st in Mountain West play at 22.3 ppg), while Smith (12.5 ppg, 12.8 rpg) is second on the team in scoring and is averaging a double-double. Birch is just shy of averaging a double-double (11.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg). Senior guard Kevin Olekaibe is the fourth Runnin’ Rebel in double figures at 10.6 ppg.
GAME #17
UNLV (10-6, 1-2 Mountain West)
at
NEW MEXICO (12-3, 3-0 Mountain West)
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 2014
TIME: 7:15 p.m. MST/6:15 p.m. PST
SITE: The Pit (15,411), Albuquerque, N.M.
TV: CBS Sports Network (Rich Waltz, Doug Gottlieb)
RADIO: ESPN Radio 1100 AM/98.9 FM (Jon Sandler, Robert Smith)
ONLINE: Radio (audio) & Gametracker at UNLVRebels.com
