What we know about 2021-22 UNLV basketball schedule

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Sunday, July 18, 2021 | 2 a.m.

College basketball teams around the country have begun announcing their non-conference schedules, and UNLV should follow suit by making their 2021-22 slate public any day now.

But while we wait for details, it turns out we already know quite a bit about the teams on the docket for Kevin Kruger’s first season at the helm.

A preview of what UNLV’s non-conference schedule will look like:

How many games?

Let’s start with something we don’t know: How many non-conference games UNLV will be playing.

The Mountain West made a late switch to a 20-game conference schedule last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there has been no word as to whether the league will stick with 20 contests or go back to the normal 18-game schedule this season.

Depending on whether it’s 18 or 20, UNLV could have more room to add a couple non-conference opponents, should Kruger choose to do that.

Main Event

UNLV is one of four teams set to participate in the MGM Main Event at T-Mobile Arena, and it’s going to be a big deal for the scarlet and gray. Their first opponent, Michigan, is coming off an Elite Eight appearance and is bringing in the best recruiting class in the country, so expect the Wolverines to be ranked in the preseason top 5.

After clashing with Michigan in the first round of the Main Event on Nov. 19, UNLV will take on either Arizona or Wichita State on Nov. 21.

Marquee home games

UNLV was scheduled to host UCLA last year, until the Pac-12 canceled all non-conference contests due to the pandemic. That game has been rescheduled to this season, and that may be a good thing for UNLV.

The UCLA game has certainly improved in stature. Last year, the Bruins were No. 22 in the preseason rankings; now they’re coming off a Final Four appearance and loaded with returning talent. UCLA should enter the season as a title favorite, making this one of the marquee dates on the UNLV home calendar.

UCLA wasn’t the only Pac-12 opponent that got wiped out last year. UNLV’s home contest against Cal was also shelved, so they’ll make up that game this year at the Thomas & Mack Center. UNLV will also host Omaha.

Road trips to Texas and the Bay

Kruger will take his squad to the Lone Star State to face SMU in a return game that is left over from 2019, when the Mustangs came to the Mack and beat the scarlet and gray in T.J. Otzelberger’s first season. Now UNLV will head to Dallas to complete the home-and-home contract.

A road game against San Francisco was added last month, so that is a Kruger game. After playing at San Francisco this season, UNLV will host the Dons in 2022-23.

Cupcakes to come

The parts of the schedule we know about—the MGM Main Event, UCLA, Cal, Omaha, SMU and San Francisco—account for seven non-conference games. Depending on whether the Mountain West mandates 18 or 20 conference games, that should leave space for UNLV to play three to five more non-league contests.

Considering the heft of the non-con opponents that have already been announced, it would make sense for Kruger to want to sprinkle some cupcakes in there as well. We should expect most of the as-of-yet unannounced games to be against teams lingering near the bottom of the KenPom rankings.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.