UNLV’s Hey Reb fires off sparks from his gloves during a game against Arizona on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015 | 2 a.m.
The Rebels go out and schedule like few programs in the country, and one result is that a true road trip to the preseason No. 10 team might not even be UNLV’s most important game that week.
It’s a big season for UNLV coach Dave Rice, and he’s going to have no shortage of opportunities to prove what he and this roster can do. The Rebels could face as many as five of the top 26 teams in the preseason Associated Press poll, and that’s before even getting into Mountain West play.
The marquee games start early, too, as UNLV leaves for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational a week after opening the season at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, against Cal Poly. A top-five opponent could be waiting for the Rebels in the semifinals in Maui, and to get there they have to start with the first of these five must-see games this season:
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The Rebel Room
What Could Have Been and What Shall Be
UNLV football kept things close with Boise State until it didn't, and now sports writers Case Keefer and Taylor Bern say eclipsing the 2.5 season win total very much relies on this week's game against a Hawaii team that just fired its coach. In basketball, Las Vegas Sun sports editor Ray Brewer tries to explain why he's so confident in this year's team and ends up just yelling about how a really good Utah State team isn't any good.
Vs. UCLA • Nov. 238:30 p.m., ESPN2, at Maui Jim Maui Invitational
The Maui Invitational traditionally has a good to great field, and this one is no exception. The bracket appears set up to get No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 15 Indiana in the finals, and the best chance of breaking that up is probably the winner of UNLV-UCLA.
The Rebels didn’t fare too well in a closed-door scrimmage at UCLA a year ago, and second-year Bruins coach Steve Alford went from there to his second straight Sweet Sixteen while UNLV struggled. The Rebels’ personnel has matured and changed a lot since then, though, and this will be the first real test of the season to see where UNLV stacks up against quality competition.
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More Coverage
Vs. Oregon • Dec. 48 p.m., ESPN2, at MGM Grand Garden Arena
Last year was UNLV’s first-ever game on the Strip, and an awful offensive showing left them on the wrong side of that debut vs. Utah. This year the Rebels return to face another formidable Pac-12 opponent, and this time they’re bringing friends.
This game was included for season-ticket holders who RSVP’d by Oct. 22, a response in part to those who complained about buying an additional ticket last season. That should guarantee a favorable (and hopefully robust) crowd for what could be a pivotal game.
It’s one week after the Rebels return from Maui and a few days before back-to-back road games that start at No. 10 Wichita State. A tough schedule only helps if you win at least some of those games, and this one looks like one of UNLV’s best chances.
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At Arizona • Dec. 196:30 p.m., ESPN2
The Rebels were close to victory two years ago at the McKale Center and they stormed the court after finishing the task at home last year against Arizona. What’s in store for Round 3?
The Wildcats, ranked No. 12 in the preseason, have to replace their four leading players — Stanley Johnson, T.J. McConnell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Brandon Ashley — and recently lost freshman Ray Smith after the Vegas High grad suffered his second torn ACL in the last 15 months. Expect Findlay Prep product Allonzo Trier to pile up a lot of points as a freshman guard, and the Wildcats’ overall recruiting has been so good that many still have them pegged as the Pac-12 favorites despite all the personnel changes.
This is UNLV’s penultimate nonconference game. Where the Rebels stand by the end of their trip to Tucson will determine expectations heading into Mountain West play.
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Boise State • Jan. 277 or 8 p.m., CBS Sports Network
When the coaches Rice tangle, you know you’re in for a good time. This series doesn’t have the extra fire of a San Diego State or New Mexico game, but you can’t argue with the entertainment value.
Three of the last four meetings in Boise have gone to overtime and only one of the last four games played at the Thomas & Mack Center was decided by more than five points. Overall, the average score of the eight Dave Rice vs. Leon Rice showdowns is UNLV 72, Boise State 71, and that includes some wild comebacks, a buzzer beater that wasn’t and a celebratory jig that hasn’t been forgotten by many in the Rebels camp.
Throw in the fact that both teams are expected to compete for the league crown and this is a must-see game right in the middle of conference play.
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At San Diego State • March 57 p.m., CBS Sports Network
What, if anything, will be on the line when these rivals meet on Steve Fisher Court? The regular-season finale could feature a conference title on the line for both sides, or it might be a coronation for one side or the other.
San Diego State has been the league’s most consistent winner in recent years, finishing first or second in four of the past five years and going to six straight NCAA Tournaments. It’s the type of success everyone in the league, including UNLV, is chasing and this could be the Rebels’ chance.
UNLV hasn’t won the regular season title only once, in the Mountain West’s first season 16 years ago, and twice in the last decade the Rebels have finished within a game of first. As much as some prefer to focus on the NCAA Tournament, it would be a larger mark of improvement to take care of business in the regular season.
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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