Tag: Amauri Hardy

NBA G League: The complete Ignite roster for 2021-22 season

The NBA G League announced that six veteran players will join the Ignite to provide leadership and guidance to their young prospects.

On Thursday, the NBA G League announced that six veteran players will join the Ignite to help provide leadership and guidance to their young prospects, completing their roster for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

The Ignite will make their season debut on Nov. 5 against the South Bay Lakers as part of their 14-game Showcase Cup schedule, which is part of the new innovative format for the season. They will also play preseason exhibition games on Oct. 29 and Oct. 31.

The stated goal of the Ignite is to provide development opportunities for those prospects looking to play professionally. The team will be coached by Jason Hart after Brian Shaw led the group during their inaugural season earlier this year.

With the Ignite set to begin their second season, Rookie Wire took a look at their final roster, which features a blend of up-and-coming prospects and several experienced veterans.

Michigan State Basketball is in contact with UNLV grad transfer Amauri Hardy

Michigan State Basketball is in contact with UNLV grad transfer Amauri Hardy. Hardy is from Detroit, MI & averaged 14.5 points this season.

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Michigan State basketball has been in contact with UNLV grad transfer Amauri Hardy. Hardy is a Junior and this past year he averaged 14.5 points on 40.9% shooting along with 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Amauri Hardy stands at 6’2″ and weighs 190-pounds. This is now the second player MSU is looking at in the transfer portal.

Hardy has played Guard all three years at UNLV. Last year, he averaged 13.1 points. This means MSU could potentially add just about 10 points or more to next year’s rotation. Note, Hardy is from Detroit, MI. Check out a highlight reel of Hardy here.

The Spartans have two incoming freshmen, one of which is Gaurd AJ Hoggard. MSU could benefit from an upperclassmen addition on the perimeter. The college basketball is just getting started. Stay with us at SpartansWire for more coverage of Michigan State basketball offseason moves.

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Boise State Heading To Semifinals After 67-61 Win Over UNLV

Game Recap: Boise State 67, UNLV 61 Bronco’s big three show up in first game in Las Vegas to help secure win. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire A big night from RJ Williams lifts Boise State past UNLV. Las Vegas, NV-The tournament’s host UNLV …

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Game Recap: Boise State 67, UNLV 61

Bronco’s big three show up in first game in Las Vegas to help secure win.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

A big night from RJ Williams lifts Boise State past UNLV.

Las Vegas, NV–The tournament’s host UNLV took on Boise State in a mid-afternoon bout in day two of the Mountain West Conference tournament. This was game number one for both teams and the fresh legs were apparent in a game that was neck and neck most of the way.

This was the third meeting between the two teams this season and while their regular season series was split with each team securing a win on the road on the other team’s home court, this is March and anything could happen.

Both teams had a hard time shooting from the field with Boise State finishing with 21-57 made field goals on the night (36.9%) and UNLV in worse shape with 18-57 field goals made (31.6%). The three point field goal numbers are even worse as UNLV finished with 9/27 made threes (33%) while Boise State knocked down just 3-15 of their attempts.

Ultimately the Broncos had the hottest hand of the night in senior forward RJ Williams who finished the game with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists on 7-12 made field goals but 9-13 of his free throw attempts. He received help from fellow senior Justinian Jessup (19 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal) and junior guard Derrick Alston Jr. (14 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists).

The Runnin’ Rebels were without junior forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong who only saw nine minutes of play off of the bench. His presence was missed on the defense end as UNLV didn’t seem to have an answer to RJ Williams down low. Sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton led UNLV with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist while junior Amauri Hardy chipped in 14 points, 3 assists and 4 rebounds.

Senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long was also missing in action after suffering a deep knee bruise over the weekend. It was obvious this UNLV team wasn’t at 100% without two of their impact players on the bench, but still gave Boise State a run for the chance to advance on to Friday night.

Up Next:

Boise State: The Broncos advance to face San Diego State in tomorrow’s semifinal action at 9:00 PM EST on CBS Sports Network. The Aztecs narrowly escaped the upset Thursday afternoon with a 73-60 win over Air Force.

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UNLV vs. Nevada: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

UNLV vs. Nevada: Game Preview UNLV has a chance at breaking their Silver State Series losing streak to intrastate rival Nevada on the road. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Can a new look Wolf Pack team keep the streak alive? WHO: UNLV …

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UNLV vs. Nevada: Game Preview

UNLV has a chance at breaking their Silver State Series losing streak to intrastate rival Nevada on the road.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Can a new look Wolf Pack team keep the streak alive?

WHO: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (11-9, 6-1 Mountain West) At Nevada Wolf Pack (11-8, 4-3 Mountain West)

WHEN: Wednesday, January 22nd—11:00 PM EST/8:00 PM PST

WHERE: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, NV

TV: CBS Sports Network 

STREAM: Get a free trial through FuboTV

RADIO: Tunein

SERIES RECORD: UNLV leads all-time series 60-29

PREVIEW: There is something about intrastate rivalries that feel just a bit different than others. Being able to walk around your local grocery store and seeing a T-shirt or encountering the occasional coworker’s mug from your rival school at a work place makes those rivalries a bit more personal and local for most. The best rivalries in College Basketball can be found when two teams from the same state meet and usually meet often being a part of the same conference.

There’s plenty of names on the list but some notable examples are Michigan-Michigan State, Cincinnati-Xavier, Indiana-Purdue, Louisville-Kentucky and maybe the most famous of all North Carolina-Duke.

The Silver State Series has the potential to join the names above as must see T.V. around the country. Even though he is gone now, Eric Musselman helped put the Wolf Pack on the national radar in recent years and UNLV will always have name recognition across the country from their championship runs in the early nineties. But with new faces at the helms in both Reno and Las Vegas, the rivalry seems as up for the taking as ever and each team is looking to establish dominance for years to come with a win tonight.

Some History:

  • UNLV leads the all-time series 60-29
  • While Nevada has won the last four meetings (all under Eric Musselman)

UNLV

The Runnin’ Rebels are 6-1 in Mountain West play and currently sit behind the Aztecs in sole possession of second place. Tj Otzelberger’s squad has adjusted well after the holiday break, riding a three game winning streak while winning seven of their last eight games by an average of 13.8 PPG. This UNLV team looks a lot different than the one who took the court early on and multiple individuals are stepping up to create a much more well rounded attack.

UNLV has four players averaging double figures at this point but it has been sophomore Bryce Hamilton who has brought balance to the Runnin’ Rebel offense, averaging 20.7 PPG in seven conference games so far and getting hotter by the day with a recent 35 point performance against New Mexico at home on Saturday. He isn’t the only sophomore making noise in the new year though as Marvin Coleman posted UNLV’s first triple-double of the century on Saturday night against the Lobos earning his first player of the week honors from the conference in the process.

Their emergence has been key for UNLV thus far and make this team that much more dangerous going on the road in Reno this evening. Things will be interesting, and it’s not just the young guns having an impact either don’t forget about leading scorer Amauri Hardy or leading rebounder Cheikh Mbacke Diong who should look to take advantage of a very young Nevada frontcourt.

Nevada

Now, while the Runnin’ Rebels have the winning streak, the Wolf Pack have the home court tonight, in which they are 28-2 in their last 30 conference home games. Like UNLV Nevada has also proved some naysayers wrong this season, you know those who said a fourth place finish was too high considering a coaching change and lack of experience (check out my first article ever saying just that here). To be fair it has been upperclassman doing most of the heavy lifting this season, guys like Jalen Harris, Jazz Johnson and Lindsey Drew who have helped make the transition in Reno a bit smoother than expected for a new coaching staff who had a lot to live up to coming in (three straight NCAA tournament appearances, three straight regular season conference championships).

With fresh starts at both schools this season, in-state supremacy is up for the taking. For Runnin’ Rebel fans who haven’t had that opportunity in a while, that’s big. And for those wearing blue and silver tonight it’s the chance to keep the title home in a new era under Alford.

Prediction: Nevada 80, UNLV 77

This game will come down to who want’s it more and who is knocking down more shots (like most should). Though while UNLV has a squad that could go about five deep in the scoring column as of recent, Nevada’s big three (i.e. Harris, Johnson, Drew, sometimes Zouzoua) doesn’t receive much help most nights and if one of those Wolf Pack members above isn’t scoring things get a bit trickier for Alford and crew.

Something else to note is the list of most recent opponents for each squad. While Nevada’s slate consisted of Colorado State (W), Boise State (W), Utah State (L) and San Diego State (L). UNLV has faced Utah State (W), Boise State (their one league loss) and New Mexico (not the same Lobos we were used to either) from the top half of the Mountain West standings. Not to say the Rebels’ performance in those games were something to knock, it just seems like their toughest challenges lie ahead.

But the most important thing tonight is,

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UNLV needs late surge to survive Wyoming upset bid

Game Recap: UNLV 78, Wyoming 69 (OT) Rebels move to 4-1 in MW; Cowboys still winless Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV holds steady in second place despite a close call in Laramie TJ Otzelberger’s team found a way to survive on …

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Game Recap: UNLV 78, Wyoming 69 (OT)

Rebels move to 4-1 in MW; Cowboys still winless

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV holds steady in second place despite a close call in Laramie

TJ Otzelberger’s team found a way to survive on Saturday, preserving the hot streak that has marked their coach’s first season in the Mountain West.

UNLV (9-9, 4-1 MW) beat Wyoming 78-69 in Laramie’s Arena-Auditorium, but the Runnin’ Rebels needed a late push – and an extra five minutes – to save themselves from the Cowboys’ upset bid.

The Rebels were led by Bryce Hamilton’s 19 points off the bench. Jonah Antonio and Marvin Coleman were both also in double digits for UNLV, scoring 15 and 14, respectively. Donnie Tillman also added 10 points from the bench.

Kwane Marble paced Wyoming (5-13, 0-6 MW) in the scoring department with 19 points, followed closely by Jake Hendricks with 18 and Hunter Maldonado with 16. Marble was extremely efficient, going 4-for-4 from the field and 9-for-11 on free throws, but Maldonado and Hendricks combined to shoot just 30% on the game.

Wyoming led by seven points with 1:25, after Hunter Thompson hit the front end of a trip to the free throw line. But a 7-0 run, capped by two Donnie Tillman free throws in the dying seconds, forced overtime.

The Cowboys never led again.

UNLV opened up the extra period with back-to-back three-pointers from Coleman and Antonio. Coleman also hit a three during the late run to push the game into overtime.

The second-year Rebel is averaging nearly ten points per game since being installed in the Rebels’ starting lineup just before Christmas. Antonio, another recent addition to the starting five, reached double figures for the first time since the team’s opening game of the season.

Those adjustment has already paid early dividends for Otzelberger, with the team going 5-1 over their past six games. UNLV has finally climbed back to .500 after losing eight of their first 12 games.

That they were victorious despite a poor offensive showing from Amauri Hardy is especially encouraging for a team that has looked one-dimensional at times.

Saturday’s triumph was the fourth in five tries for UNLV in Mountain West play, keeping them in a second-place tie with New Mexico. The Lobos were also victorious over the weekend, beating Air Force at home. Both teams trail undefeated San Diego State, with the Aztecs moving to 17-0 after an easy win over Boise State.

In stark contrast to the early success of those teams, Wyoming still remains winless on the conference season. The Cowboys are in last place in the Mountain West, trailing Fresno State by a game and a half.

UP NEXT

UNLV hosts San Jose State (6-12, 2-4 MW) on Wednesday night. The Spartans are coming off a loss to Colorado State over the weekend, but they haven’t looked like the pushovers they were a year ago. Jean Prioleau’s club has already beaten New Mexico and Nevada in league play. They also came closer than anyone else to beating San Diego State, with Malachi Flynn’s buzzer-beater serving as the Aztecs’ only saving grace.

Wyoming will head to Reno to take on Nevada (10-7, 3-2 MW) in a Tuesday night matchup. The Wolf Pack have stumbled a bit of late, with the aforementioned loss to San Jose State and another to Utah State making for a very forgettable week. But this team is plenty talented and should have the offensive firepower to outgun the Cowboys. Jalen Harris should be in the mix for MW Player of the Year honors if he can continue to light up the league’s defenses.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Boise State Hands UNLV First Conference Loss At Home, 73-66

Game Recap: Boise State 73, UNLV 66 Key players step up in big win over UNLV at home. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire The new all-time leading 3-point shooter in Boise State history helps lead the Broncos over UNLV at home. With a conference …

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Game Recap: Boise State 73, UNLV 66

Key players step up in big win over UNLV at home.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

The new all-time leading 3-point shooter in Boise State history helps lead the Broncos over UNLV at home. 

With a conference that has been shifting and realigning itself constantly this past week, Wednesday’s matchup inside ExtraMile Arena in Boise was one to watch. As conference heavy weights fell left and right, everyone not named San Diego State is fighting for Stability. Utah State suffered three straight losses this past week and New Mexico lost for the first time in conference play, once again at the hands of San Jose State. But all of that was on the back burner as UNLV traveled north to take on Boise State Wednesday night.

Each team was well aware of the stakes, for the Runnin’ Rebels a win tonight meant sitting alone at second place in the conference, just ahead of in-state rival Nevada and just behind the Aztecs. While a loss drops them into a tie with New Mexico for third. For the Broncos a loss tonight meant a drop to sixth with Utah State, and a win, well that’s just what we got.

The Bronco’s played with an effort and motor that we hadn’t seen from them just yet. This team was diving on the floor for loose balls and getting second, third and even fourth chances on the offensive glance at times, while moving the ball around the perimeter and knocking down shots. All of this to secure a quality win at home against one of two Nevada teams gaining momentum in conference play.

This was the same Bronco team that lost to Nevada just this past Saturday and couldn’t buy a three pointer going 5-26 from deep versus a much improved 8-19 on Wednesday. Justinian Jessup chipped in five of those made three pointers on his way to 18 points and a career night involving a broken record. 

Second chance opportunities were in abundance for the Broncos as RJ Williams (11 Points and 10 Rebounds) and Derrick Alston Jr. (26 Points and 10 Rebounds) ended the night with double-doubles. Those rebounds led to points and when they didn’t those opportunities led straight to the foul line where the Broncos shot 74% as a team. With the addition of Abu Kigab at semester break, Leon Rice’s squad now has a big four that when firing on all cylinders can compete with anyone in the conference. 

UNLV’s conference momentum hit a snag on the road, and a Runnin’ Rebels squad that started 3-0 in conference play for only the second time in program history needs to step back reevaluate their play and get ready to face a Cowboys team in the dome of doom this weekend. This Rebel team looked lost shooting the ball going 6-25 from behind the arc and shooting 37% from the field overall.

While many struggled, sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton continued to impress finishing with 19 points and 7 rebounds in just 26 minutes of play. This Rebel team has stepped up it’s level of play after being called out by head coach TJ Otzelberger in a postgame interview earlier this season, they’ll need to keep this pace of basketball up and play Hamilton just a little more if they want to stay in the top half of the conference Standings.

Up Next: 

Boise State:

The Broncos head to Viejas Arena on Saturday to face undefeated and 7th ranked San Diego State. After a win over Wyoming on the road this past Wednesday the Aztecs continue their quest for conference dominance and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with a win at home against the Broncos.

UNLV:

The Runnin’ Rebels finish the week out on the road against the Wyoming Cowboys in Laramie. Wyoming is still winless in conference play after a 72-52 loss to San Diego State at home earlier this week. This is a game you don’t mind winning but a loss nobody wants on their schedule.

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UNLV at Cincinnati: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Stream, Odds, More

UNLV at Cincinnati: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Bearcats could inch closer to Top 25 with win over UNLV Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Rebels embark on three-game road trip, starting with a dangerous Cincy squad WHO: …

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UNLV at Cincinnati: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Bearcats could inch closer to Top 25 with win over UNLV

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Rebels embark on three-game road trip, starting with a dangerous Cincy squad

WHO: UNLV (3-5, 0-0 MWC) at Cincinnati (4-2, 0-0 AAC)

WHEN: Saturday, November 30 — 5:00 P.M. MT / 4:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, OH

WATCH: ESPN3; Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: Cincinnati leads, 6-0

ODDS: Cincinnati -14, per KenPom

PREVIEW: The Rebels finally have a little bit of momentum back after dismantling Jackson State on Tuesday—and they’ll need it for arguably their toughest game of the early season against Cincinnati.

The tilt with the Bearcats is UNLV’s first in a three-game road trip, which also features their MWC opener against Fresno State and a semi-neutral site matchup in Salt Lake City against BYU.

The shooting woes that had plagued the Rebels throughout the first handful of games were nowhere to be found in their 80-57 win over Jackson State. The team shot 57.1% from the field and 45% from downtown. That’s exactly the kind of production UNLV will need to take down Cincinnati.

Junior guard Amauri Hardy leads the team with 18.3 points and 3.5 assists per game, followed by transfers Donnie Tillman (12.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and  Elijah Mitrou-Long (10.9 PPG, 3.9 APG).

And though Hardy led the way again on Tuesday with 20 points, the most important offensive contribution of the night came from junior Chiekh Mbacke Diong. The Senegalese big man tallied 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while also pulling down six of his 13 rebounds on the offensive glass. It was a huge outburst out of a player who has been notably anemic on that end of the floor.

Bryce Hamilton and Nick Blair also pitched in 12 points apiece, which could signal an important development for TJ Otzelberger. This team needs scoring support behind Hardy, Tillman, and Mitrou-Long. If they can get it, they could turn into a top-half team in the Mountain West. Getting transfer sharpshooter Jonah Antonio back in the lineup will help that cause.

But first, they have to take on a talented Cincinnati squad that has been receiving votes for the Top 25.

New head coach John Brannen has seen a few stumbles in his first couple games at the helm for the Bearcats, including an overtime loss at the Paradise Jam on Tuesday against Bowling Green. Cincinnati recovered to claw out an overtime win of their own against Valparaiso the next day.

While the Bearcats have been pretty good defensively, the offense has not held up its end of the bargain. The offseason was full of promise after it was announced that Oakland transfer Jaevin Cumberland would be joining his cousin (and one of the best players in the American), Jarron.

Though the team does have five players averaging double-digits (or very close), including both Cumberlands, the Bearcats have been plagued by turnovers. They committed 58 giveaways in three games at the Paradise Jam, barely eking out a 2-1 record, including their one-point victory over Illinois State in their first game at the event.

UNLV has had its fair share of issues with ball security, too, so expect this game to get a little sloppy.

Junior seven-footer Chris Vogt and senior forward Tre Scott average a combined 23 points and 17 rebounds, presenting a big challenge for the Rebels in the frontcourt. Keith Williams has also been a solid source of offense for the Bearcats.

But with the Bearcats suddenly struggling—and coming off some long travel to and from the Virgin Islands—the Rebels may have a chance to catch Cincinnati on the ropes.

All told, it will be difficult for UNLV to escape with a victory against a Cincinnati team that is probably bound for the NCAA Tournament. If the Rebels can grab a big road win here, it will give them a boost to get through the back half of their non-conference schedule.

Prediction: Cincinnati 74, UNLV 66

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Three

Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Three Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Three. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Who is in the running for Player of the Year? The staff at the …

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Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Three

Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Three.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Who is in the running for Player of the Year?

The staff at the Mountain West Wire wanted to do something a little different this year. We are going to keep track of the top performers from teams around the Mountain West throughout the year and vote on who had the best performances that week. 

How It Works: 

Each person will award 15 points in total to five players and should award it as so:

1st place (Player of the week): 5 pts

2nd place: 4 pts

3rd place: 3 pts

4th place: 2 pts

5th place: 1 pt

The player with the most points total will be our player of the week and we will keep track of the point totals every week so that the player who has the most at the end of the year will receive the Mountain West Wire Player of the Year award. Just copy the players below and type your names above it like we do for the pick them docs we get and award your points. 

Now some guys made the list and others didn’t. A big thing to think about was consistency throughout the week. Something that hurt some guys was having a decent game one day and a bad one the other day. Guys who made the list had a great game one day and a good one on other days, or good games both days.

This column will come out on Sunday nights or Monday mornings depending on how late some games finish on Sundays. 

The order for the third week is as follows:

1. Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (5 Points)

13 Points, 9 rebounds and 4 Assists against Davidson

22 Points, 7 Assists and 6 Rebounds against Fordham

25 Points, 6 Rebounds and 5 Assists against Valparaiso

Harris was an instrumental piece this past week for the Wolf Pack, as he helped Nevada bounce back from a loss at Davidson on Tuesday to go on a two game win streak at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Setting the Wolf Pack up for a game in the finals against Bowling Green on Monday night while averaging 20.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 5.3 APG.

2. Sam Merrill, senior guard Utah State (4 Points):

21 Points, 3 Rebounds and 3 Assists against UTSA

24 Points, 4 Rebounds and 8 Assists against LSU

5 Points, 5 Rebounds and 3 Assists against North Texas

3. JaQuan Lyle, senior guard New Mexico (3 Points):

19 Points, 9 Rebounds and 1 Block against UTEP

24 Points, 2 Assists and 3 Steals against NMSU

4. Alphonso Anderson, junior guard Utah State (2 Points):

7 Points, 11 Rebounds and 2 Assists against UTSA

24 Points and 6 Rebounds against LSU

19 Points, 5 Rebounds and 2 Steals against North Texas

5. Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (1 Point):

25 Points, 2 Rebounds and 3 Assists against Abilene Christian

18 Points, 3 Assists and 3 Rebounds against Texas State

13 Points, 3 Rebounds and 4 Assists against SMU

Current Overall Point Totals:

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (8 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (4 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (4 Point)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (3 Point)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (3 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

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SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Rebels hoping to exorcise some early-season demons Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV needs a win to turn things around WHO: SMU (4-0, 0-0 American) at UNLV (2-4, 0-0 MWC) …

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SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Rebels hoping to exorcise some early-season demons

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV needs a win to turn things around

WHO: SMU (4-0, 0-0 American) at UNLV (2-4, 0-0 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, November 23 — 7:30 P.M. PT / 8:30 P.M. MT

WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

WATCH: Stadium/Facebook; Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: Series tied, 3-3

ODDS: SMU -2, per KenPom

PREVIEW: It’s been a rocky road so far for UNLV, but they’ve got a chance to get things back on track at home against undefeated SMU.

Three straight losses to Power 5 teams was one thing, but the Rebels’ loss to Texas State at home was an unexpected speedbump. The Bobcats are a good team, to be sure, but they also lost to Air Force, who has struggled themselves.

But this is all part of the early season, teams ebbing and flowing.

UNLV is definitely ebbing at the moment.

The biggest problem for the Rebels is turnovers. They have already committed 95 turnovers, averaging just shy of 16 per game. That number puts UNLV right around the bottom 20 in the country, per Sports-Reference. The blame can be shared among the entire roster, really. Four players are averaging at least two giveaways per game, while three more are averaging at least one.

The sloppiness has also extended to the shooting game. The Rebels have connected on just 43.6% of their shots over the first six games. Bryce Hamilton’s sub-30% mark isn’t helping.

And though things haven’t clicked as instantly as TJ Otzelberger would have hoped, the roles in his lineup are becoming well-defined.

Amauri Hardy is the primary scorer. Donnie Tillman is the first option in the frontcourt. Elijah Mitrou-Long is playing the part of the veteran floor general. Chiekh Mbacke Diong is a liability on offense, but a monster on the glass. Hamilton and Jonah Antonio are auxiliary scorers. Nick Blair and Vitaly Shibel provide some extra size.

It all sounds good on paper. But can they all perform at the same time?

SMU, on the other hand, has had success in their first few games. Their most recent victory came against Evansville, the same team that knocked off Kentucky last week. The Mustangs also have wins against some decent clubs in Jacksonville State, New Orleans, and Jackson State.

Head coach Tim Jankovic must be enjoying the early success of recent transfers into the program.

Isiaha Mike, a junior forward who transferred from Duquesne, started 32 games last year. Mike is averaging over 17 points and eight rebounds per game in year two at SMU. Tyson Jolly, who played at Baylor in 2017-18, is scoring 18 points per game and shooting a blistering 60% from the field in his first year with the Mustangs.

This two-pronged attack is bolstered by fellow starters Feron Hunt and Ethan Chargois. Hunt is averaging nearly a double-double, with 11 points and 9.5 rebounds. Chargois is also near double digits in scoring, but hasn’t really gotten hot yet.

If these four players can maintain their early chemistry, SMU could suddenly become a dark horse contender in the AAC.

They aren’t without their weaknesses, though. The Mustangs are a little shaky in terms of depth. Their bench players—as well as fifth starter Emmanuel Bandoumel—haven’t had much impact in the scoring column. But Jankovich teaches a slow brand of basketball, it stands to reason that there wouldn’t be too much to go around for anyone outside their top four players.

Actually, both teams play at a slow tempo, so expect this game to be a slugfest. The Rebels have been on the wrong side of these knock-down-drag-out fights so far this season. They are taking on a tough Mustangs team, but those early wins might not hold up against tougher opponents.

It’s too early to start throwing around the phrase “must-win”, but UNLV does need to start steering the ship in the right direction. A win here would provide some positive momentum, which the Rebels can really use in their upcoming games against Cincinnati and BYU—not to mention an early conference game against Fresno State.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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