July 15, 2015
UNLV's Full 2015-16 Men's Basketball Schedule
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV Athletics announced its opponents and dates for the non-conference portion of its 2015-16 men's basketball schedule on Wednesday.
For the third straight season, with 11 teams as Mountain West members, UNLV will play 18 conference games, therefore playing 13 during the non-conference season. The 2015-16 MW schedule was announced in June.
UNLV had a non-conference strength of schedule ranking of third in the country last season, and this year's slate appears to be just as, if not more, challenging. It is highlighted by a trip to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, which has a loaded field, and games at Arizona, vs. Arizona State, vs. Oregon (at MGM Grand) and at Wichita State.
The Runnin' Rebels could face as many as eight teams during non-conference play that played in the postseason last year, including six that appeared in the NCAA Tournament.
"We have again put together an extremely challenging schedule," said fifth-year head coach Dave Rice. "Last year we ranked No. 3 in the country in strength of schedule for our non-conference season, and this season it may be even tougher. There is no question it will prepare us well for another competitive Mountain West slate."
UNLV will play just one exhibition game (at home vs. Whittier on Friday, Nov. 6) before opening the regular season on Friday, Nov. 13 vs. Cal Poly at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Runnin' Rebels will then host New Mexico Highlands on Monday, Nov. 16, and Southern Utah on Wednesday, Nov. 18, before heading to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational.
The challenging field for the Maui Invitational includes Chaminade, Indiana, Kansas, St. John's, UCLA, UNLV, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, with games scheduled to take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 23, 24 and 25. The tournament's bracket will be announced soon. Five of UNLV's possible opponents in the tournament played in the postseason last year with four being NCAA Tournament participants (UCLA -- Sweet 16, Kansas -- Round of 32, Indiana -- Round of 64, St. John's -- Round of 64). Vanderbilt made the quarterfinals of the NIT.
This year's field for the prestigious tournament includes four of the top-10 winningest programs in NCAA Division I men's basketball history and the schools have won a combined 20 national championships, made 47 trips to the Final Four and earned 206 bids to the NCAA Tournament.
After the trip to Maui, the Runnin' Rebels will head back home to the Thomas & Mack Center to face Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Nov. 28, before playing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the second straight year.
This season's game on the World-Famous Las Vegas Strip will be against Oregon on Friday, Dec. 4, and will be included in UNLV's season-ticket package. It will mark the first meeting between the two schools since 2012 when they met on UNLV's campus. The Ducks were 26-10 overall last season, tying for second in the Pac-12 with a 13-5 conference mark and advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, falling to eventual national runner-up Wisconsin.
UNLV will then travel to Wichita, Kan., for the first time since 2011, where it will face Wichita State on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The game is part of the renewed Mountain West/Missouri Valley Conference Challenge. The Shockers were 30-5 overall last year and won the MVC title with a league record of 17-1 before advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 where it lost to Notre Dame.
The Runnin' Rebels will continue their Rodeo Road Trip with a Saturday, Dec. 12 game at UC Riverside before returning home to the Thomas & Mack Center for the first time in 18 days to host Arizona State on Wednesday, Dec. 16.
The game against the Sun Devils will be a rematch from last season's contest in Tempe, Ariz. ASU tied for fifth in the Pac-12 last year, advancing to the NIT's second round after winning at the previous season's defending national champion Connecticut.
Another rematch from last season will take place on Saturday, Dec. 19 in Tucson, Ariz., as the Runnin' Rebels will play at Arizona. UNLV won last year's game between the two teams, defeating the then-No. 3 Wildcats, 71-67, at the Thomas & Mack Center. Arizona finished the year with an overall record of 34-4, winning the Pac-12 regular-season (16-2) and tournament championships, and advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight where it lost to Wisconsin.
UNLV will close out its non-conference season against South Dakota on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Runnin' Rebels defeated USD last year in Sioux Falls. The Coyotes lost in the second round of the NIT at Vanderbilt to close out its season in March.
All game times and television appearances will be announced at a later date.
UNLV returns seven scholarship players from last year's roster with five newcomers making up another highly regarded recruiting class. After a top-five recruiting class in 2014, Rivals has this year's Runnin' Rebel class ranked No. 11 in the country.
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.
