Unbeaten UNLV excited for Power Five challenge at Las Vegas Clash

Fifth-year guard Jordan McCabe thinks UNLV is ready for another challenge.

The Rebels are already 9-0, off to their best start since the 2010-11 season when former coach Lon Kruger led them to an NCAA tournament berth. UNLV is one of just 10 undefeated teams in Division I college basketball this season.

On Saturday, UNLV will face its final Power Five opponent of the nonconference season: Washington State of the Pac-12.

This is the opportunity the Rebels want.

“Over our body of work against Power Five schools, we have to win more than we lose,” McCabe said. “That is a definite thought in our brain. This is a school that might look down — I don’t know if that’s the right way to look at it or say it — but they expect to come here and win, and that’s a test we need.”

UNLV will put its perfect record on the line against the Cougars in the first game of the Las Vegas Clash at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden. No. 10-ranked Arizona and No. 14 Indiana will play in the second game at 4:30 p.m.

While his players are looking forward to the challenge, UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said he simply expects his team to continue growing and bring consistent effort.

“We tell the guys, ‘It’s one down, one to go,’” Kruger said.

The Rebels have already played one Power Five team this season. UNLV beat Minnesota 71-62 in a neutral-site game at the SoCal Challenge on Nov. 23, and the final scoreline didn’t reflect the Rebels’ dominant performance.

Comfortable wins on the road against San Diego and at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson against Hawaii on Wednesday have boosted UNLV’s confidence.

Kruger and McCabe also said the Rebels’ past two games have been good preparation for the Cougars (4-4), as all three opponents predicate their offenses around 3-point shooting.

San Diego shot an efficient 40.9 percent from 3 against the Rebels, but the Rainbow Warriors struggled, going just 6-for-29 from beyond the arc. UNLV’s baseline trap has occasionally allowed teams with good passing forwards to find open shooters on cross-court passes, but Kruger was happy with the way his team rotated against Hawaii.

“I thought we did a pretty good job with our activity and our hands, not just giving up completely wide-open looks,” Kruger said.

UNLV’s strong defense, which relies on teamwork, has also encouraged players to buy in. McCabe said the structure means players aren’t going one-on-one with opponents, but it requires everyone to be aware on the court.

Kruger credited McCabe’s defensive intelligence and midgame adjustments against Hawaii as the reason the guard was a game-best plus-17 in 13 minutes.

It’s been a difficult season for the former West Virginia transfer. The lone returning starter from the 2021-22 season, he lost his place in the starting lineup to sophomore Keshon Gilbert.

McCabe had to shift his mindset, and admitted it took some time to accept his new role. However, he’s now ready to make an impact, no matter how many minutes he’s playing.

“As a fifth-year guy now, I’m getting to the age now where it’s like, ‘Grow up,’” McCabe said. “I had to look myself in the mirror, and decided that I need to be locked in on whatever my role is.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.