UNLV Basketball Opens This Week: Lady Rebels Face USC at T-Mobile Arena on Monday, Runnin' Rebels Host Northern Arizona on Tuesday
College basketball season arrives in Las Vegas on back-to-back days: the UNLV Lady Rebels open Monday against USC in the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena, and the Runnin' Rebels open Tuesday night against Northern Arizona at the Thomas & Mack Center — both teams coming off exhibition wins.
Las Vegas's college basketball season starts with a doubleheader of openers. The UNLV Lady Rebels play the first game that counts on Monday, November 2, facing USC in the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena — the fourth consecutive year the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame event has been held in Las Vegas. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. Pacific, televised on CBS Sports Network. The Lady Rebels won their only exhibition, beating Cal State LA 89-81.
The Runnin' Rebels follow on Tuesday, November 3, hosting Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. UNLV closed its exhibition schedule with a 90-81 win over Missouri on October 29, after earlier exhibitions against Utah and No. 25 BYU. It is the program's second season under head coach Josh Pastner, after an 18-17 finish and a trip to the second round of the NIT last season. The Rebels stay home to face Samford on Saturday, November 7, and Stanford on Friday, November 13.
The Lady Rebels' home opener comes Friday, November 6, against UTSA at 6:30 p.m., and it carries a program honor: before tip-off, UNLV will retire the No. 23 jersey of Desi-Rae Young, the Las Vegas native and two-time Mountain West Player of the Year. Between the two programs, Las Vegas hosts ranked-level basketball on four of the season's first six days.
