UNLV basketball hopes for better turnout with promotion

UNLV basketball coach Kevin Kruger wants to establish some type of routine for when the National Finals Rodeo displaces the Rebels from the Thomas & Mack Center.

And he’s receptive to suggestions.

“During the rodeo, during the beginning of December, this is the plan,” Kruger rhetorically opined Friday after practice at the Mendenhall Center.

“Maybe we can get something concrete.”

This season, though, the Rebels (5-5) are playing at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena, where they will face Hartford on Saturday as the NFR concludes. A paltry crowd of 637 attended UNLV’s first game at the 12,000-seat venue Wednesday — a 76-56 drubbing of Seattle.

Kruger doesn’t think his players were affected by the sparse amount of spectators.

“The people that were there were into it and engaged, and that’s about all we can ask for right now,” he said. “We’re really appreciative of the people that showed up. (Saturday) will be better, I hope. And if not, we still have to go out and play the game.”

In response to the small crowd, the Rebels announced Thursday that spectators could attend Saturday’s game free of charge. The athletic department worked with donors to provide tickets to the first 2,500 to participate in the promotion.

Kruger said the idea materialized Wednesday after the victory over the Redhawks.

“Hopefully it works,” Kruger said. “And if it doesn’t, we’ll try something different.”

Senior guard Mike Nuga and junior forward Victor Iwuakor did not practice Friday. Nuga had a season-high 21 points and a career-high eight assists Wednesday and suffered what Kruger called a “knee to knee.”

Iwuakor made his season debut against Seattle and aggravated a shoulder injury that kept him out of the first nine games. Their status for Saturday is unclear.

The Rebels outscored the Redhawks by 14 points during Iwuakor’s five-plus minutes, and Kruger detailed the versatile forward’s potential impact.

“He gave the guys a little bit of security. Of toughness,” Kruger said. “When it’s not there, it’s missed. But it’s also at the same time not something we’ve had a ton of. But it was fun to see him out there playing and having fun again, because he deserves it. And so do all these guys.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.