March 22, 2007
LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas residents are encouraged to cheer on their UNLV men's basketball team by wearing red on Friday.
The city of Las Vegas proclaimed March 23 as "Rebel Red Day" and is urging all residents to wear red in support of the team as it faces third-seeded Oregon in the Sweet 16 of the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Game time is scheduled for approximately 6:40 p.m. PDT on CBS-TV live from St. Louis, Mo.
The "Rebel Red Day" proclamation was presented to UNLV President David Ashley this morning at City Hall.
"We are extremely proud of our student-athletes working so hard on the court and in the classroom," Ashley said. "The accomplishments of this year's team and the enthusiasm of our students, faculty and local community are truly remarkable. We thank the mayor and city council for supporting the Runnin' Rebels, and invite everyone in the community to join us in wearing Rebel Red this Friday."
UNLV, which headed into the NCAA tournament ranked as high as 18th in the nation, won the 2007 Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship on March 10. Returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 2000, the seventh-seeded Runnin' Rebels downed Georgia Tech in the first round and then defeated No. 2 seed Wisconsin on Sunday to advance to their first Sweet 16 since 1991 while improving their record to 30-6.
OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Whereas; on Friday, March 23, 2007, the University of Nevada Las Vegas Runnin' Rebels will head to St. Louis, Missouri to face the Oregon Ducks in the "Sweet 16" of the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament; and
Whereas; the Runnin' Rebels have made numerous NCAA Tournament appearance in the past, culminating with a National Championship in 1990; and
Whereas; the 2007 UNLV Runnin' Rebels team has earned respect and recognition in college basketball with an impressive 30-6 record, ending the regular season nationally ranked. Their outstanding win over the BYU Cougars made them the Mountain West Conference Tournament Champions; and
Whereas; the Runnin' Rebels are made up of very diverse and talented players led by their coach, Lon Kruger; and
Whereas; the citizens of the City of Las Vegas are extremely proud of the Runnin' Rebels Basketball Team and their coaches and wish them the verbest in the remainder of the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament; now
Therefore; I, the Mayor of the City of Las Vegas, County of Clark, State of Nevada, hereby proudly proclaim March 23, 2007, to be:
Rebel Red Day
in the City of Las Vegas and ask all citizens to wear their Rebel Redon this day to show their love and support of our Runnin' Rebels as theyplay in the "Sweet 16." Go Rebels!
In Witness Whereof:
By the Powers Granted to Me,
I have hereunto set my hand
and caused the seal of the
City of Las Vegas to be affixed
this 23rd day of March, 2007.
Honorable Oscar B. GoodmanMayor, City of Las Vegas
