A conference like the Pac-12 apparently doesn’t have UNLV on any short lists for expansion. There are many reasons for that, and reasons why that could change.
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Ed Graney
Ed Graney is a sports columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, covering a variety of topics and the Las Vegas sports scene.
egraney@reviewjournal.com … @edgraney on Twitter. 702-383-4618
UNLV basketball coach Kevin Kruger watched from the front row at NRG Stadium in Houston as San Diego State beat Florida Atlantic in the Final Four on Saturday.
For a Mountain West that has 11 members for basketball and 12 for football, including UNLV, how it reacts to a sudden defection could shape the league for its foreseeable future.
UNLV is intent on erasing last year’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss when the 11th-seeded Lady Rebels play sixth-seeded Michigan on Friday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The once-proud program has now gone a decade without qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
UNLV’s basketball team grinded out an overtime win against Air Force in a Mountain West tournament play-in game and next face Boise State.
The trio of Desi-Rae Young, Justice Ethridge and Essence Booker pushed UNLV past San Diego State in the Mountain West semifinals Tuesday.
Desi-Rae Young was the only DI player in the nation to average 18-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and shoot better than 60 percent. And she wasn’t named conference Player of the Year — a certain mistake.
Essence Booker, one of four honored on Senior Salute afternoon, made key plays late to lift UNLV to an 18th straight win in beating San Diego State.
Conference realignment and expansion are not over, so it’s the charge of UNLV to be prepared if and when a Power Five league comes calling.
Kruger signed a five-year contract and hasn’t even finished a second season. Those already banging out Tweets and emails for another change at the top are incredibly shortsighted.
The UNLV women’s basketball team is 22-2 and has won 13 straight but has yet to crack the Top 25 rankings.
UNLV’s basketball team is suddenly defending again, which was good enough to beat rival UNR 68-62 on Saturday night.
The school’s new Name, Image and Likeness opportunities also align with its pursuit of gaining membership into a Power Five conference.
Off to its best start in over three decades, the UNLV women’s basketball team is getting everyone’s best shot this season. The Lady Rebels play at Wyoming on Thursday.