UNLV enters Mountain West play full time at 8 p.m. Wednesday against Utah State at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV
Rebel Nation hosts Cassie Soto and Mark Anderson discussed the state of the UNLV men’s basketball and football programs.
UNLV held Eastern Michigan to 30.6 shooting and dominated on the boards by a 50-30 margin, winning Saturday at the Thomas Mack Center to close out nonconference play.
UNLV has signed six players and has three scholarship seniors, so the players are auditioning for the 2020-21 season as well as this one.
Donnie Tillman and Mbacke Diong post 17 points and seven rebounds apiece, and Rebels coast to an 81-69 victory.
The 6-foot-3-inch floor general couples a modest demeanor with intangible leadership attributes, and impressed UNLV coach TJ Otzelberger — who awarded him a scholarship in May.
The journey back to respectability for UNLV basketball seems further off than ever, the Rebels on Wednesday night showing to have far more issues than even a 74-66 defeat might suggest.
UNLV took a nine-point lead early in the second half, but Pacific rallied to take control and beat the Rebels 74-66 on Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV guard Jonah Antonio said he will play Wednesday against Pacific at the Thomas & Mack Center. He has missed the past six games with an injured left thumb.
Las Vegas sports radio talk show host Ken Thomson and UNLV players brightened the days of sick kids with their annual holiday visit to Sunrise Children’s Hospital.
Brigham Young took control early by making almost 70 percent of its 3-pointers in the first half, and the Cougars rolled past UNLV on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
UNLV plays Brigham Young at noon Saturday in Salt Lake City. First-year Cougars coach Mark Pope compared following Dave Rose to trying to succeed former UCLA great John Wooden.
UNLV went into overtime for the fourth time this season, but after three prior losses, the Rebels defeated Fresno State 81-80 on Wednesday in Fresno, Calif.
UNLV plays at Fresno State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a rare Mountain West December game. The Rebels have gone through a series of dry scoring spells this season.
The Rebels trailed 58-48 with a minute left in regulation, but forced overtime, 60-60, on Elijah Mitrou-Long’s 3-pointer with one second left. Mitrou-Long scored 29 points.