GAME NOTES: In the top-25 for the second time this season, the 21st-ranked UNLV Runnin' Rebels put their lofty ranking on the line this evening, as they welcome the California Golden Bears to Sin City for a non-conference affair at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Head coach Dave Rice has the Runnin' Rebels among the best teams in the country, with wins in 12 of their first 14 games, including victories over ranked foes in North Carolina and Illinois. The team's two losses have come to Wichita State and Wisconsin, but UNLV has won three straight to find its way back into the polls, including an 81-63 blasting of ULM on Monday.
The Golden Bears are off to a fast start as well this season and have spent time in the top-25 as well this year. Mike Montgomery's squad has won 10 of its 12 games this year, with the losses coming to Missouri and San Diego State. Cal enters this contest with a four-game wins streak in tow, including a lopsided 70-50 win over UC Santa Barbara on Monday.
This is the fifth all-time meeting between these two teams. UNLV has won three of the previous four matchups, but California won the last meeting in 2008.
The Golden Bears jumped all over UCSB, shooting .481 from the floor in the first half, fueled by a 6-of-9 showing from behind the arc, taking a 14-point lead into intermission. Another strong effort after the break kept the Gauchos at arm's length throughout the contest. Justin Cobbs was sensational in the victory, hitting 10-of-12 from the floor en route to a game-high 25 points. Allen Crabbe poured in 19 points in the win as well. California can win games at either end of the floor, but the team relies heavily on its defensive prowess. The Golden Bears are allowing just 56.0 ppg, holding foes under 40 percent shooting (.381). Crabbe leads a trio of double-digit scorers with 16.1 ppg. Jorge Gutierrez and Cobbs follow with 13.9 and 12.0 ppg, respectively.
The Rebels are a dangerous team at both ends of the floor as well. UNLV is enjoying a +13.7 scoring margin this season, averaging 77.9 ppg, while limiting the opposition to just 64.2 ppg. The team utilizes a balanced scoring approach, led by the perimeter exploits of Chase Stanback, who is averaging 14.5 ppg. Stanback is the team's resident sniper, shooting an impressive .453 from three-point range (29-of-64). Mike Moser provides a low post presence, averaging a double-double with 13.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Oscar Bellfield and Justin Hawkins provide depth with 10.4 and 10.1 ppg, respectively. The Rebels blew by the Warhawks this week, shooting a sizzling 58.1 percent from the floor, enhanced by an impressive 14-of-23 showing from behind the arc. Stanback was on fire in the win, hitting 8-of-9 shots from long range to finish with a game-high 29 points. Carlos Lopez came off the bench to tally 12 points, while Bellfield chipped in with 10 points.
Both these teams are off to strong starts to the season, but the Runnin' Rebels have a couple more options at the offensive end and get this game at home. Expect UNLV to win this one, but it won't come easy.
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