The Runnin' Rebels open their season at home on Monday night

Content provided by UNLV Athletics.

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's basketball team will open the 2024-25 season against Alabama State on Monday, Nov. 4, at the Thomas & Mack Center at 8:30 p.m.

The Runnin' Rebels, in their fourth year under head coach Kevin Kruger, will begin this season by playing their first five games at home.

STUDENT ACTIONS ON MONDAY: All UNLV students who register for the men's basketball home opener will receive a guaranteed lower bowl student section ticket to the football game against San Diego State on Saturday, November 16th and will be entered into the drawing for a Pre -Game experience on the field. Additionally, UNLV students will receive free energy drinks on Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, have a chance to win four party suite tickets to the football game against UNR and have a chance to win a custom pair of Air Force 1s. Energy drinks and Air Force 1s are courtesy of the Rebellion.

TICKETS: Tickets for UNLV men's basketball home games are available at UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS (3267) or at the Thomas & Mack Center box office.

ABOUT THE ROSTER: This season's UNLV squad features six returning players from last year's team as well as ten newcomers. The additions consist of four Division I transfers, one junior college transfer and five freshmen. UNLV has eight upperclassmen, including two sixth-year players. A total of six players on the squad play in their hometown of Las Vegas. The Runnin' Rebels return two starters: Dedan Thomas Jr., who was the Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year last season and was named to the preseason all-conference team, and senior forward Rob Whaley Jr ., Forward Jalen Hill is also back for his sixth year of college after suffering a season-ending knee injury in January. Thomas Jr. led UNLV in scoring last year with 13.6 and 5.1 points per game, respectively, Whaley Jr. averaged 7.6 ppg and 3.6 rpg, while Hill averaged 10.7 ppg in seven contests and scored 6.1 rpg.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Alabama State went 13-19 overall last season and was tied for eighth place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a league record of 8-10. The Hornets return seven players in 2023-24, including TJ Madlock, CJ Hines and Ubong Okon, all of whom earned preseason All-SWAC honors. Madlock was named to the first team while Hines and Okon received second team recognition. Madlock led his team last season with 15.8 points per game as well as 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while Hines was the team's assist leader with 2.7 apg, scoring 9.7 ppg and recorded 1.0 spg, and Okon is 7-foot-1, recorded 1.2 blocks per game, shot 56.9% from the field (3.2 ppg) and scored 6.3 RPG. ASU, which has eight freshmen, was ranked fifth in its conference this season and received one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The Hornets, who have 11 upperclassmen on their roster, are coached by Tony Madlock, who is in his third season at the school with a 21-42 record. He also served as interim head coach at Ole Miss for five games during the 2017-18 season and as head coach at South Carolina State for one season (2021-22).

TRANSFER INFORMATION: Monday's game will be broadcast on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network (digital channel 5.2 & 125 on Cox in Las Vegas, also available on YouTube TV) and the Mountain West Network, with Matt Neverett, Curtis Terry and Steve Cofield calling the tune . The trio will also simulcast the call on radio, which can be heard on ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas. All streaming links and live stats are available on UNLVRebels.com and through the UNLV Rebels app.

LAST SEASON: The Runnin' Rebels are coming off their best season in over a decade, as they were invited to the postseason for the first time since 2013, advanced to the NIT quarterfinals and won a postseason game for the first time in 16 years. In his third season at the helm, Kruger led the team to 21 wins for the first time since the 2012-13 season and led the team to a 12-4 record in their last 16 games.

UNLV recorded its first win over a top-10 team in four years, its first in non-conference play in nine seasons and beat a total of four ranked teams in a single season for the first time in 11 years. Dedan Thomas Jr., the 2023-24 Mountain West co-freshman of the year, set the Mountain West assists record with 174 and also led the country in assists among freshmen.

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