March 14, 2004

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's basketball team will be playing in the postseason for the third consecutive year as it will travel to Boise, Idaho, to play Boise State in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. MST.

UNLV (18-12) fell short in its Mountain West Conference Tournament run losing to Utah, 73-70, in the championship game Saturday night in Denver. The Runnin' Rebels finished in fourth place in the Mountain West Conference this season with a 7-7 mark. UNLV had won six of its last eight before falling in the conference tournament.

Boise State (21-9) lost in the second round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament to UTEP, 85-73, on Friday in Fresno, Calif. The Broncos tied for third place in the WAC this season with a 12-6 mark. BSU had won seven straight games before losing in the conference tournament.

This is the Runnin' Rebels third straight NIT appearance. UNLV lost at home to Hawaii, 85-68, in the NIT's first round last season to finish 21-11.

With this invitation, UNLV has made the postseason seven of the past eight seasons (two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 2000 and NIT appearances in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2004).

The 2004 NIT will mark UNLV's eighth in program history. The program has an all-time NIT record of 7-8 and turned in its best finish in 1980 when it advanced to the semifinals in New York.

UNLV is 1-0 all-time against Boise State. The only meeting between the two schools was in the 1976 NCAA Tournament. UNLV defeated Boise State in that first round game in Eugene, Ore., 103-78.