UNLV vs. Texas State: Game Preview, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

UNLV vs. Texas State: Game Preview, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More Rebels are looking to get to .500. Contact/Follow @MWCwire UNLV looking to boost its OOC schedule The UNLV Runnin Rebels take on the Texas State Bobcats in Thomas & Mack on …

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UNLV vs. Texas State: Game Preview, Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More


Rebels are looking to get to .500.


Contact/Follow  @MWCwire

UNLV looking to boost its OOC schedule

The UNLV Runnin Rebels take on the Texas State Bobcats in Thomas & Mack on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT on Mountain West Network. The Rebels are coming off a win over Abilene Christian a match up in which the rebels won 72-58.

The Rebels are 2-3 on the season, all three losses have come against Power 5 opponents. The Bobcats are 3-2 on the season but have not strung together more than a one game winning streak. Texas State’s leading scorer is senior guard Nijal Pearson who is averaging 17.8 points per game. As a team Texas State is averaging 77 points per game and allowing 60.2 points per game.

UNLV has reason to be optimistic coming into the matchup against Texas State. In the team’s last win over Abilene Christian Amauri Hardy scored 25 points and not only did he score 25 points it was a very efficient scoring night for him. He was 9-10 from the field with the only miss being from beyond the arc from which he was 3-4 from three. Hardy is the Rebels leading scorer averaging 19.0 points per game.

Mbacke Diong is leading the team in with over 10 rebounds per game and also leads the team in steals and blocks. Mbacke’s size should be an advantage for coach Otzelberger to use seeing that the bobcats do not have a player taller than 6’8 on their roster. But for UNLV to utilize their front court advantage they have to finish around the rim. 

For UNLV to energize its fan base the team has to win these types of games. If the Rebels can prevent the Bobcats from shooting the 3, take care of the basketball and make easy baskets UNLV should be able to move to an even 3-3 on the season.

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

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

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


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


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 second week is as follows:

1. JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (5 Points):

     31 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 5 assists against Wisconsin-Green Bay

     18 Points, 5 Rebounds and 2 steals against McNeese St. 

2. Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (4 Points):

     21 Points, 19 Rebounds, and 5 Assists against Omaha

     17 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 1 Block against Loyola Marymount

3. Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (3 Points):

     16 Points, 2 Rebounds and 1 Assist against UT-Arlington 

     26 Points, 4 Rebounds and 1 Assist against USC

4. Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points):

     17 Points, 8 Rebounds, and 3 Assists against California 

     18 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 1 Assist against UCLA

5. Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (1 Point)

     15 Points, 6 Rebounds and 4 Steals against Denver

     21 Points, 6 Rebounds and 3 Assists against North Carolina A&T

Current Overall Total Point Count:

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (4 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (3 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (3 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (1 Point)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (1 Point)

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Future Hoops Foes: Week Two Recap of Week Three’s Opponents

Taking a Look At Week Three’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Two Each Mountain West Team’s opponents in Week 3 Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week. …

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Taking a Look At Week Three’s Mountain West Opponent’s Performances in Week Two

Each Mountain West Team’s opponents in Week 3

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week.

Future Foes Week One Recap:

Air Force Falcons 2-1

Mon, Nov. 18th

Texas Christian Horned Frogs:

Jamie Dixon‘s horned frogs didn’t play much this week, and are 2-0 on the season. Their lone division one win was against Louisiana-Lafayette where they outscored the Ragin Cajuns by 33 points to win the game. TCU is still hard to read with only two games under their belt, but they appear to have a dynamic scorer in senior guard Desmond Bane (25.5 PPG) and four other players averaging double digits so far.

Thurs, Nov. 21st

Loyola Marymount Lions: 

Loyola Marymount is 1-2 on the season and have yet to win a game against a division one opponent. Their two losses came at the hands of fellow Mountain West members Nevada and Colorado State. The Lions will be looking for that first win of the season and they may get it Thursday against the Falcons. Look out for junior guard Eli Scott who has had two very solid performances (17 PPG, 5.0 APG and 4.5 RPG against MW teams) on the year so far.

Fri, Nov. 22nd

Duquesne Dukes: 

The Falcon’s will take on a Duke’s team who is currently undefeated at 3-0 with their most impressive win being a 27 point win at home against Princeton. Duquesne who is coached by Lebron James’ high school coach Keith Dambrot is led by sophomore guard Sincere Carry who is averaging 15.0 PPG in three contests. The Dukes haven’t faceed anyone ranked inside the top 200 per Kenpom yet, so Air Force will be their highest rated competition at 178th.

Sun, Nov. 24th

Indiana State Sycamores:

 Larry Bird‘s alma mater is still win less going into week three of the season and could come away with a few wins this week. Their losses have been to pretty solid teams in Louisville and Dayton. And junior guard Tyreke Key is averaging 17.3 PPG and had his best games so far against those big opponents. Watch out for the Sycamores this Sunday Air Force Fans.

Boise State 1-2

Wed, Nov. 20th

Brigham Young Cougars:

The Cougars are 3-1 on the year after a nail biting win against Houston on the road where senior guard TJ Haws shocked the other Cougars (of Houston) on a last second fade away jumper that bounced off of the rim and then dropped in to win the game. With Yoeli Childs still fulfilling that nine game suspension, first year head coach Mark Pope is relying on transfer guards Jake Toolson (15.3 PPG) and Alex Barcello (13.0 PPG) to keep the ship afloat until his return.

Sat, Nov. 23rd

Pacific Tigers:

Damon Stoudamire‘s Tiger squad is 4-2 on the year with two very close losses to South Dakota and Hawaii. They’re not getting it done in a flashy way but playing defense and just outscoring their opponents. Their leading scorer junior guard Justin Moore is averaging just 11.3 PPG. Also watch out for senior guard Jahlil Tripp and big man Amari McCray (6-9 304) who will give Boise State’s front court a challenge.

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UCLA runs past cold-shooting Rebels, 71-54

Game Recap: UCLA 71, UNLV 54 Rebels suffer their third consecutive loss Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV goes cold, UCLA stays hot Well, this one was never in danger of going to overtime. It was another rough night for the Runnin’ …

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Game Recap: UCLA 71, UNLV 54


Rebels suffer their third consecutive loss


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV goes cold, UCLA stays hot

Well, this one was never in danger of going to overtime.

It was another rough night for the Runnin’ Rebels on Friday, as the team fell to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, 71-54. The Bruins jumped out to an early lead and never truly looked back as they moved to 6-0 in the all-time series between the two schools.

The Bruins (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) were paced by junior Chris Smith, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half and helped UCLA put their opponents at arm’s reach. Smith also finished with eight rebounds, which tied for the team lead with Jalen Hill. Touted Bruins freshmen Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez combined to score 23 points. Prince Ali had ten points in the second half and finished with 14.

For the second consecutive game, Donnie Tillman, Amauri Hardy, and Elijah Mitrou-Long all scored in double figures. Tillman led the charge with a season-high 18 points and seven rebounds. Hardy and Mitrou-Long each added 13, with Bryce Hamilton scoring ten.

And that’s it for UNLV. Only four players scored for the Rebels.

Chiekh Mbacke Diong found other ways to contribute, pulling down seven rebounds and recording UNLV’s only two blocked shots. But Jonah Antonio was ineffective in the first half and didn’t play during the second. Nick Blair and Cheickna Dembele combined for 25 minutes off the bench but registered a grand total of zero points (on zero shots), one rebound, two turnovers, and three fouls.

Suffice it to say that TJ Otzelberger still hasn’t found the recipe for top-tier success—though the Rebels (1-3, 0-0 MWC) have shown some signs of promise even in their losses. Hardy is a volume shooter and will be among the top scorers in the Mountain West, but he hasn’t been very efficient. Tillman has shown flashes of brilliance, but he’s also had some frustrating turnovers and foul problems.

This game brought two of the Rebels’ biggest issues to light: a lack of depth and poor execution. Having four players score in double figures is nice, but having zero points from the rest of the team is less than ideal. And the Rebels again shot under 40% from the field for the second time this season.

Both are problems that they need to fix quickly.

UCLA, on the other hand, looked like a team starting to gel under first-year head coach Mick Cronin. The Bruins remain undefeated and have improved in each game of the early season. If Tyger Campbell continues his star rise while the team’s veterans pour in solid performances night in and night out, they could easily hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

UP NEXT FOR UNLV: The Rebels will host the Wildcats of Abilene Christian (1-1, 0-0 Southland) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The game is part of the Southwestern Showdown presented by Engage Telehealth. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. Mountain Time.

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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UNLV at UCLA: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More

UNLV at UCLA: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More Runnin’ Rebels looking for first-ever win against UCLA Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV is coming off two straight OT losses WHO: UNLV (1-2, 0-0 MWC) at UCLA …

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UNLV at UCLA: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More


Runnin’ Rebels looking for first-ever win against UCLA


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV is coming off two straight OT losses

WHO: UNLV (1-2, 0-0 MWC) at UCLA (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12)

WHEN: Friday, November 15th — 9:00 P.M. MT / 8:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA

TV: Pac-12 Network

STREAM: Pac-12 Network (cable subscription required); Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

RADIO: TuneIn

SERIES RECORD: UCLA leads, 5-0

ODDS: UCLA -7, per KenPom

PREVIEW: TJ Otzelberger’s first three games have been a pretty mixed bag, as UNLV sits at 1-2 after Tuesday night’s overtime loss to California. It was the second time in as many games that the Rebels fell in extra time.

But though the results are the same, there were far more positives for UNLV in the Cal game than there were against Kansas State.

For starters, Amauri Hardy didn’t have to do all the scoring. He still ended up with 15 points, but Donnie Tillman and Eli Mitrou-Long both topped him, scoring 17 and 16, respectively.

Tillman’s big game was exactly what UNLV needed. The transfer had a nice debut, but his 16 points against Purdue-Fort Wayne were propped up by a lot of trips to the line. Against the Golden Bears, Tillman was able to score from the field, hitting 5-of-10 from inside the arc and burying his first three-pointer in a Rebels uniform.

Also encouraging is that Tillman played 41 minutes against Cal, compared to a combined 42 minutes against Purdue-Fort Wayne and Kansas State. If UNLV is going to rise above their station, Tillman needs to build off of Tuesday’s performance.

But the Rebels face a difficult task in heading to one of college basketball’s most hallowed halls, Pauley Pavilion.

In their third consecutive game against a Power 5 opponent, UNLV heads to Westwood to take on UCLA and their new head coach, Mick Cronin. The Rebels have never beaten the Bruins in five tries. Their last meeting, a 77-75 thriller, took place in 2015.

This year’s UCLA team comes in with a 2-0 record, but they aren’t without their question marks, either. Their opener was a struggle against Long Beach State. The Bruins eked out a four-point victory over the Beach, but didn’t shoot particularly well.

Sunday’s tilt with UCSB started out looking like it would be another long game for the Bruins, but UCLA took over in the second half. Sophomores Jalen Hill and Jules Bernard both hit the 20-point mark. Hill was dominant inside, finishing with 22 points, ten rebounds, and three blocks.

Prince Ali and Chris Smith both scored in double figures, but shot a combined 4-for-18 from the floor. Freshman Tyger Campbell was held to just two points after scoring 15 against Long Beach State. Campbell did add six assists, proving his worth as a distributor in Mick Cronin’s offense.

UCLA could find themselves in the hunt for a top-half finish and a potential trip to the NCAA Tournament this March, but they will need to start playing the full 40 minutes if they are going to reach their potential.

UNLV needs to contain Hill inside and make the Bruins prove that they can hit the long ball effectively. But if UCLA is making their shots, it’s going to be difficult for the Rebels to hang.

They would also probably prefer to avoid another overtime.

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 One

We are tracking each Mountain West performance of this week to determine the player of the year.

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


Take A Look At Who Played Well for Mountain West Teams In Week One.


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 first week is as follows:

1. Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 points):

30 Points 8 Assists 6 Rebounds against Utah 

24 Points 9 Rebounds 7 Assists against Loyola Marymount 

2. Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (4 points):

25 Points 5 Rebounds 4 Assists against Life-Pacific 

28 Points 2 Rebounds against Oregon 

3. Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (3 points):

15 Points 6 Assists 5 Rebounds against Purdue Fort-Wayne 

27 Points 4 Rebounds 3 Assists against Kansas State 

4. Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 points):

15 Points 4 Rebounds 2 Assists against Texas Southern 

19 Points 5 Rebounds against Brigham Young 

5. Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (1 point):

28 Points 5 Rebounds 3 Assists against Montana State 

14 Points 6 Rebounds 6 Assists against Weber State 

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Future Hoops Foes: Week One Recap of Week Two’s Opponents

Get a quick preview of each team this week on the schedule.

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Taking a Look Mountain West Opponents in Week Two and how they Performed in Week One.


Each Mountain West Team’s Opponents for Week Two


Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Take a look at each team’s opponents for this week and how they did last week.

We seek to take a look at each team’s opponents for the next week while also taking a look at their performance the previous week. These should be coming out on Sunday nights or Monday mornings going forward until the end of non-conference play depending on possible late night games on Sunday or not. And then traditional previews will take over since with conference play comes more familiarity with opponents.

Air Force Falcons 

Tues, Nov. 12th 

Army Black Knights:

Coach K’s alma mater is 1-1 on the season but that lone win comes against the US Merchant Marine Academy. That lone loss came at the hands of 10th ranked Villanova by 43 points. They are led by senior guard Tommy Funk who is averaging 13.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.5 APG. These military academy games mean a lot to these schools and I look forward to the Falcons taking the Black Knights on at home. 

Boise State Broncos

Fri, Nov. 15th 

California-Irvine Anteaters:

The Anteaters will face a familar face to Boise State fans in Life-Pacific on Tuesday. But after that they take on Boise State in The Taco Bell Arena on Friday. Irvine is 1-1 so far downing San Diego on opening night and losing to Pepperdine on Saturday by 3 points in Malibu. UC-Irvine is led by senior guard Evan Leonard who is averaging 19.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.0 APG through two games. 

Colorado State Rams 

Wed, Nov. 13th 

Omaha Mavericks:

The Mavericks are 1-1 on the season but have not won against a division one team thus far. They are led by junior guard Ayo Akinwole who is averaging 16.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 7.0 APG through two games and has junior forward Matt Pile who is averaging a double-double (14.0 PPG and 12.0 RPG). 

Sat, Nov. 16th

Loyola Marymount Lions:

Loyola Marymount is coming off of a close loss to Nevada in Reno on Saturday which put them at 1-1 on the season. Eli Scott was the guy on Saturday but the Lions are actually led by sophomore forward Ivan Alipiev who is leading the team with 19.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG. 

Fresno State Bulldogs 

Tues, Nov. 12th 

San Diego Torreros:

San Diego is in a bit of a rebuild after losing a talented group of seniors last year. They are 0-2 on the season and are led by sophomore guard Joey Calcaterra, who is averaging 16.0 PPG in both losses. 

Sun, Nov. 17th 

California State University San Bernardino Coyotes:

The Bulldogs take on an undefeated Coyotes team who have two wins against division two opponents. They are led by senior guard Jeremy Smith who is averaging 26 PPG through week one. 

Nevada Wolf Pack 

Tues, Nov. 12th 

Texas-Arlington Mavericks:

The Mavericks are off to a great 2-0 start including a 14 point win against Tulsa on Saturday. Watch out for senior forward Jabari Narcis who is averaging 11.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG. If he has a big night in the paint, the Wolf Pack don’t have enough front court depth to keep him in check. 

Sat, Nov. 16th

Southern California Trojans:

As Andy Enfield’s seat started to get a bit hot in Los Angeles he went out and got one of the best recruiting classes in the last decade for the Trojans and it’s paying off. His team is being led by his two five star freshman Isaiah Mobley and Onyeka Okongwu, and Big O is showing dominant play while averaging a double-double (20.0 PPG and 11.5 RPG). 

New Mexico Lobos 

Wed, Nov. 13th

Green Bay Phoenix:

The Phoenix are 1-1 on the season after a 51 point win against Wisconsin-Stout and a loss at Purdue. Watch out for freshman guard Amari Davis who averaged 12.5 PPG in last weeks action and junior guard PJ Pipes who is averaging 2.5 SPG. 

Sat, Nov. 16th

Mcneese State Cowboys:

The cowboys are 0-2 on the season and face Wisconsin on Wednesday before taking on the Lobos on Saturday. Look out for junior guard AJ Lawson who averaged 17.5 PPG in two games against Western Michigan and Louisiana Lafayette.

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Nov. 12 Mountain West Basketball Picks, TV Schedule, Odds

Nov. 12 Mountain West Basketball Picks, TV Schedule, Odds A few big games this Tuesday. Contact/Follow @MWCwire How many wins will the MW get? Air Force at Army, 7 p.m. et, TV: STADIUM KenPom: Army -2 Final Score: Air Force 69, Army 57 . …

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Nov. 12 Mountain West Basketball Picks, TV Schedule, Odds


A few big games this Tuesday.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

How many wins will the MW get?

Air Force at Army, 7 p.m. et, TV: STADIUM

KenPom: Army -2

Final Score: Air Force 69, Army 57

Jeremy: Army

Brandon B: Air Force

Josh F: Army

Ted: Air Force

Eric: Air Force

Andrew: Air Force

Jesse: Air Force

Denver at Utah State, 9 p.m. ET, TV: MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK

KenPom: Aggies -21

Final Score: Utah State 97, Denver 56

Jeremy: Utah State

Brandon B: Utah State

Josh F: Utah State

Ted Utah State

Eric: Utah State

Andrew: Utah State

Jesse: Utah State

UT Arlington at Nevada, 10 p.m. et, tv: mountain west network

KenPom: Nevada -7

Final Score: Nevada 80, UT-Arlington 73

Jeremy: Nevada

Brandon B: Nevada

Josh F: Nevada

Ted: Nevada

Eric: Nevada

Andrew: UT Arlington (obligatory upset pick)

Jesse: Nevada

Fresno State at San Diego, 10 p.m. et, TV: WCC NETWORK

KenPom: Fresno State -1

Final Score: San Diego 72, Fresno State 66

Jeremy: San Diego

Brandon B: Fresno State 

Josh F: San Diego

Ted: San Diego

Eric: Fresno State

Andrew: Fresno State

Jesse: San Diego

UNLV at Cal, 11 p.m. et, TV: pac-12 network

KenPom: Cal -4

Jeremy: Cal

Brandon B: UNLV

Josh F: Cal

Ted: Cal

Eric: UNLV

Andrew: UNLV

Jesse: UNLV

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UNLV at California: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More

UNLV at California: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More Runnin’ Rebels face first road test on Tuesday night Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV looks to bounce back after OT loss WHO: UNLV (1-1, 0-0 MWC) at …

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UNLV at California: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More


Runnin’ Rebels face first road test on Tuesday night


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV looks to bounce back after OT loss

WHO: UNLV (1-1, 0-0 MWC) at California (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12)

WHEN: Tuesday, November 12th — 9:00 P.M. MT / 8:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA

TV: Pac-12 Network

STREAM: Pac-12 Network (cable subscription required); Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

RADIO: TuneIn

SERIES RECORD: UNLV leads the series, 5-2

ODDS: California -4, per KenPom

PREVIEW: There’s no two ways about it—UNLV’s overtime loss to Kansas State on Saturday was ugly. The game was marred by turnovers and bad shots, but one bright spot was junior guard Amauri Hardy.

Hardy paced the Rebels with 27 points on 11-of-23 shooting, while the rest of the team made just nine field goals in 35 attempts. Donnie Tillman, the promising transfer from Utah, ended up playing only 15 minutes and scored just a single point. Elijah Mitrou-Long, Jonah Antonio, and Bryce Hamilton combined to shoot just 2-for-15 from beyond the arc. Chiekh Mbacke Diong excelled on the boards and on defense, securing 11 rebounds to go along with three steals and a block. But his inability to score effectively was far too common a theme for TJ Otzelberger’s squad.

UNLV needs to fix its shooting problems immediately because they are coming up against a hot-handed club in California.

The Golden Bears were something of a laughingstock last year, finishing at the bottom of an especially poor Pac-12 Conference. But Cal came out swinging in Game 1, beating a promising Pepperdine team by 16 at home. It was an emphatic debut for new head coach Mark Fox, who came out west during the offseason after his nine-year stint as Georgia’s skipper.

With the Bears’ top two scorers from last year transferring out of the program, an extra share in the offense naturally fell to Matt Bradley, who averaged 10.8 PPG as a freshman in 2018-19. He wasted no time in getting his numbers up for this season, posting 25 points against the Waves, knocking down five three-pointers in the process.

Also in double figures for Cal were Andre Kelly, Kareem South, and Paris Austin. As a team, the Bears made ten three-pointers and shot 57.4% from the floor, while outrebounding Pepperdine, 38-30.

It could be the start of the rebuilding process in Berkeley, or it could just be one good game. Tuesday night’s tilt with UNLV will be a good test.

One of the keys for the Rebels will be getting Donnie Tillman more integrated with the team. He was a late addition, but there’s not much time for a long learning curve. UNLV has a few more tough tests in the non-conference season, so they need to be firing at full strength if they are going to be competitive.

Cal was extremely effective on opening night, but can they keep it up against the Rebels? Will somebody else besides Hardy step up for UNLV to shoulder some of the scoring load?

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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