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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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.

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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.

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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

Shootaround vibes pic.twitter.com/MKp2XZVkO7

— UNLV Men's Basketball (@TheRunninRebels) November 12, 2019

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?

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