March 10, 2002
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's basketball team will be playing in the postseason for this first time in two seasons as it will host Arizona State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday, March 12 at 8 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. The game will be televised live to a national audience on ESPN2.
Ticket prices are $25 for plaza level seats, $15 for balcony level and five dollars for UNLV students with valid ID. General public tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 11, at 10:00 a.m. and may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office or through tickets.com. Current UNLV men's basketball season ticket holders may purchase their 2001-02 season seat location until Monday at 5 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center box office only.
The Si Redd room at the Thomas & Mack Center will open at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday for Scarlet and Gray Club and Rebel Hospitality Club members. Parking will be handled like a normal Runnin' Rebel home game.
UNLV (20-10) fell short in its Mountain West Conference Tournament run losing to San Diego State 78-75 in the championship game Saturday night. The Runnin' Rebels are 12-3 in their last 15 games and have won six of their last seven.
Arizona State (14-14) finished seventh in the Pac-10 Conference and lost in the conference tournament's first round to Arizona 73-56.
This is the Runnin' Rebels first NIT appearance since 1999 when they lost at Nebraska, 68-55, in the first round. With this invitation, UNLV has made the postseason five of the past six seasons (two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 2000 and NIT appearances is 1997, 1999 and 2002).
This NIT will mark UNLV's sixth in program history. The program has an all-time NIT record of 6-6 and turned in its best finish in 1980 when it advanced to the semifinals in New York.
Spoonhour has now led four teams to the NIT, advancing furthest in 1985-86 with Southwest Missouri State making the quarterfinals.
UNLV is 0-2 all-time against Arizona State. The last meeting was a 79-70 loss on Dec. 5, 1998 at America West Arena in Phoenix. The first meeting was an 84-81 loss on March 6, 1975 at the NCAA Tournament's west regional in Portland, Ore.
