Sept. 27, 2012
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team will hold a free fan event on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. Named the Runnin' Rebel Scarlet/Gray Showcase, fans are invited to celebrate the start of the 2012-13 season with festivities that will include a dunk contest, the Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage and the Legends game.
The dunk contest is a new element to the program's first open-to-the-public event of the season, while the Legends Alumni game has taken place prior to or during halftime of Runnin' Rebel games the past several years.
The Runnin' Rebel Scarlet/Gray Showcase will have a Fan Fest outside in front of the Thomas & Mack Center from 5-6:30 p.m., and the building's doors will open at 6 p.m. There will be games and activities for kids included. The Showcase will also feature the debut of new videos as well as a chance for fans to get autographs from the players and coaches at the conclusion of the event.
"We are excited to begin the 2012-13 season and for this opportunity to be back in front of our fans," said UNLV men's basketball head Dave Rice. "This event is so important to our program and we know Runnin' Rebel fans look forward to it each year. It will be a lot of fun for the team as well as the fans, and it will be good for our players to be in front of a crowd as we continue our preparations for games to start in November."
The Runnin' Rebels are ranked No. 13 by Athlon Sports and No. 15 by Blue Ribbon entering this season after going 26-9 in Rice's first year at the helm of the program. The 26 wins during the 2011-12 campaign were the most victories in a season by a first-year head coach in UNLV history.
UNLV played in its third straight NCAA Tournament and defeated three top-25 teams last year, including a win over then-No. 1 North Carolina, marking the program's first victory over the nation's top-ranked team in 22 years and the first time a Mountain West school has ever defeated the No. 1 team in both polls.
The Runnin' Rebels were ranked for 13 straight weeks (14 overall), climbing as high as No. 11 in the country last season. UNLV was 17-1 at the Thomas & Mack Center last year, which included a perfect 16-0 mark during the regular season, its first undefeated home regular season in 20 years.
The team was second in the nation in assists per game last year (17.6) and also second in the country in percentage of field goals assisted at 65.4 percent.
The Runnin' Rebels return six letterwinners from last year's team, including starters Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall. Moser, who is entering his junior season, was honorable mention Associated Press All-America and a unanimous First-Team All-Mountain West selection as a sophomore. Marshall, who is entering his senior campaign, was named to the All-MW Second Team. Both Moser and Marshall were selected to the league's all-defensive squad last year.
Also returning are seniors Justin Hawkins and Quintrell Thomas, along with junior Carlos Lopez. The Runnin' Rebels have welcomed their six new scholarship players (Anthony Bennett, Daquan Cook, Savon Goodman, Demetris Morant, Katin Reinhardt and Roscoe Smith) to the roster for the 2012-13 season, plus Bryce Dejean-Jones, who redshirted in 2011-12 after transferring from USC, and Khem Birch, who sat out the Spring 2012 semester after transferring from Pittsburgh. Birch must also sit out Fall 2012 before becoming eligible to play in games in December.
UNLV had an early start to its season in August as it went 4-0 during its exhibition tour of Canada.
For information on purchasing season tickets in the lower plaza level, contact the Rebel Athletic Fund at 702-895-1533. For information on all other tickets, call 702-739-FANS or visit UNLVtickets.com.
