Men's Basketball 11/30/2021 9:13:00 AM

Runnin' Rebels At SMU Wednesday Night For Season's First Road Game

5 p.m. PT contest will be broadcast on ESPN+

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball team will travel outside of Las Vegas for the first time this season as it plays its first road game on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at SMU at 7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT.

The Runnin' Rebels (4-3) opened the 2021-22 campaign with its first seven games in Las Vegas (five at the Thomas & Mack Center and two at T-Mobile Arena), including two against top-five teams. UNLV started with three straight wins at home against Gardner-Webb, California and North Dakota State, then lost to then-No. 4 Michigan and Wichita State in the Roman Main Event on the Las Vegas Strip. UNLV played the Wolverines tough before falling 74-61 and lost a heartbreaker to the Shockers 74-73.

The Runnin' Rebels got back in the win column with a 101-45 victory over Division III Whittier last Wednesday and fell to then-No. 2 UCLA 73-51 in their most recent outing on Saturday - both at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Senior guard Bryce Hamilton leads the team in scoring at 15.7 points per game, with junior forward Donovan Williams second at 11.1 ppg. Senior forward Royce Hamm Jr. is second in the Mountain West in rebounding with 10.6 per contest (12th in the country) and is also averaging 8.3 ppg and 1.3 bpg (7th in MW). Senior guard Jordan McCabe leads the team in assists at 4.3 apg (seventh in the MW).

UNLV has an entirely new look this year with nine transfers - eight coming from the Division I level, including four from Big 12 programs. Ten of the Runnin' Rebels' 13 scholarship players had yet to play in a game in a UNLV uniform before this season began.

The returners include senior guards Hamilton and Marvin Coleman and the 15-man roster includes 13 upperclassmen. Hamilton was selected to the 2021-22 Preseason All-Mountain West Team in October. Initially declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft, the second-team All-MW honoree last season who led the Runnin' Rebels in scoring with 17.9 points per game decided to return to the program.

SMU (5-3) is 5-0 at home this season. The Mustangs are coming off a 74-67 home win over ULM on Sunday. Three SMU players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Kendric Davis' 20.5 ppg. Davis also leads the team in assists with 5.4 apg. The Mustangs are leading their conference in 3-pointers made per game so far this season with 9.4.

Wednesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with John Liddle and Jim Haller calling the action. Jon Sandler, former Runnin' Rebel Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield (sidelines) will handle the UNLV radio call, which may be heard live on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas. All streaming links and live stats are available at UNLVRebels.com.

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Players Mentioned

#31 Marvin Coleman: Guard; 6' 2"; Sophomore; 1L

#13 Bryce Hamilton: Guard; 6' 4"; Sophomore; 1L

#14 Royce Hamm Jr.: F; 6' 9"; Fifth Year

#5 Jordan McCabe: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#3 Donovan Williams: F; 6' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#31 Marvin Coleman
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; 1L
: Guard

#13 Bryce Hamilton
: 6' 4"; Sophomore; 1L
: Guard

#14 Royce Hamm Jr.
: 6' 9"; Fifth Year
: F

#5 Jordan McCabe
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#3 Donovan Williams
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F