The UNLV men’s basketball team (8-7, 1-2) will be on the road this week for two games, traveling to Boise, Idaho, then Fort Collins, Colorado. First up for the Runnin’ Rebels is a game at Boise State (12-4, 3-0) on Tuesday, Jan. 16. The 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT game at ExtraMile Arena will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
LAST TIME OUT: UNLV suffered a shocking 87-86 loss Saturday to then-No. 20 Utah State at the Thomas & Mack Center in its last game. The game was decided on an Aggie five-point play with eight seconds left. Six Runnin’ Rebels scored in double figures, led by Luis Rodriguez’ season-high 23 points. He also had a team-high nine rebounds, while Dedan Thomas Jr. recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 assists (with only one turnover).
RUNNIN’ REBEL LEADERS: Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring this season in Kalib Boone (13.7 ppg), Luis Rodriguez (13.3 ppg), Dedan Thomas Jr. (12.3 ppg), Jalen Hill (10.7 ppg) and Keylan Boone (10.1 ppg). Rodriguez leads the team in rebounds (6.7 rpg) and steals (2.1, 1st in MW), Dedan Thomas Jr. is the assists leader (6.6 apg, 8th in nation), and Boone leads in field-goal percentage (64.1, 11th in nation) and blocks (1.6 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: Boise State enters Tuesday’s game on a four-game win streak, having also won nine of its last 10 contests. The Broncos are 8-0 at home and are coming off a 64-56 win at UNR on Friday. Four Boise State players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Tyson Degenhart’s 15.5 ppg. O’Mar Stanley leads the team in rebounding at 6.0 rpg, while Roddie Anderson III leads in assists (2.7 apg) and Degenhart in steals (1.4 spg). As a team, the Broncos are 26th in the nation in rebound margin at 7.7 and 36th in scoring defense at 64.8 ppg. Boise State went 24-10 overall last season, including 13-5 in MW play to finish tied for second. The Broncos ended their season with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Northwestern. Led by head coach Leon Rice, Boise State has 10 underclassmen on its 17-man roster.
BROADCAST INFO: Tuesday’s game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network with Carter Blackburn 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 386. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels App.
