Oct. 18, 2007
LAS VEGAS - As the UNLV men's basketball team prepares for the 2007-08 season, fans will have an early chance to meet and get to know the team on Saturday, October 27th.
Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. for the event, which is free and open to the public, at the Thomas & Mack Center. Free food will be available along with the opportunity for fans to meet the squad and get autographs from the Runnin' Rebels.
The team will scrimmage from 10:15-10:45 and beginning at 11 a.m., fans will be able to come down to the floor to mingle with the team and enjoy free pizza and Pepsi, while it lasts.
Season and single-game tickets will be sold at the event. Unsold seats in the plaza level will be tagged and Rebel Athletic Fund representatives will be on hand to answer questions about ticket purchases. Tickets to the Fresno State game at the Orleans Arena on December 8th are not part of the season ticket package and must be purchased separately.
Also at 11 a.m. on Oct. 27th, the Rebel football game being played at Wyoming will be shown on Redd Vision in the arena to give fans the opportunity to stay at the event, but also keep tabs on UNLV's football contest.
The meet the team event is scheduled to conclude at 12 p.m.
The Runnin' Rebels are led by head coach Lon Kruger, who is in his fourth season at UNLV after compiling a three-year mark of 64-34. His squad won the Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship in March, finished with a 30-7 overall record last season and made a NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance - the program's first in 16 years.
UNLV was 19-1 at home in 2006-07, including ending the season with 17 straight wins at the Thomas & Mack Center, which ties for the 10th-longest active streak in the country. UNLV was ranked 14th in the nation in the final edition of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.
The 2007-08 squad returns just one starter off last year's team in junior Wink Adams and seven other letterwinners. Curtis Terry and Corey Bailey are the team's lone seniors.
UNLV will get the season started by hosting the Second Annual Legends & Friends Classic, which will feature a golf event on November 5th, the Runnin' Rebel alumni basketball game on Nov. 6th at 6 p.m., followed by an exhibition game against Washburn at 7:30 p.m. At halftime of the Washburn game, former Rebel great Armon Gilliam will have his jersey retired.
UNLV will open the regular season on Nov. 9th against Montana State at 7:30 p.m. The Runnin' Rebels' 2007-08 home schedule includes non-conference games against Louisville, Nevada, Reno, and Arizona.
