UNLV takes unbeaten Mountain West record to Boise State
Who: UNLV men’s basketball at Boise State
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: ExtraMile Arena, Boise, Idaho
TV: FS1
Radio: KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM)
About the Rebels (9-5, 3-0 Mountain West): UNLV has won five of its last six games.
Sophomore point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. starred in the last outing, scoring 17 points in a 79-73 win over San Jose State that saw the Rebels nearly blow a 20-point lead.
Afterward, coach Kevin Kruger praised the Rebels’ “approach” to each game.
“They’re locked in, they’re focused,” Kruger said of the recent practices and film study meetings. “As a coaching staff, that’s what’s made us feel really good and kind of excited for getting into the flow of conference.”
Thomas (16.3 points per game), Jaden Henley (11.4), Jailen Bedford (11.1) and Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry (10.0) are averaging in double figures.
About the Broncos (11-4, 3-1 MW): Boise State will look to rebound from a 76-68 loss to San Diego State on Saturday. The defeat was the Broncos’ first at home and broke a five-game winning streak.
“They’re a big team. Last year we went in there and got a really tough win,” Thomas said. “We were able to rebound, slow them down offensively. I feel like if we just stick to what we’re good at, I think we’ll be fine.”
Boise State outrebounds opponents by an average of 8.7 per game (16th in the nation), led by 6-foot-8-inch forward O’Mar Stanley (6.4 rebounds per game).
The Rebels have struggled on the boards all season with Cherry playing through a broken finger and forward Rob Whaley Jr. out with a lower back injury since the second game. Kruger indicated recently that Whaley is unlikely to return this season.
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
