Illinois vs UNLV at MGM Grand Garden

[UNLV2001]

  vs    

Matchup	Illinois (7-3, 0-2 Big Ten) vs. UNLV (7-2, 0-0 Mountain West)
Date	Saturday, December 9, 2017
Time	9:00 p.m.
Site	MGM Grand Gardena Arena (12,916), Las Vegas
TV	ESPN2 (Eric Rothman, Tom Crean)
Radio	ESPN Radio 1100 AM/100.9 FM (Jon Sandler, Robert Smith)
Audio	UNLV Gameday App & UNLVRebels.com
Stats	Gametracker at UNLVRebels.com
Twitter	@TheRunninRebels / @UNLVAthletics

The Fighting Illini lead the all-time series 4-1

The series dates back to 1980, when Illinois beat the Runnin’ Rebels, 84-74, at Madison Square Garden in New York in the Final Four of the NIT

UNLV’s lone win in the series came in Chicago, on Dec. 17, 2011, 64-48 at the United Center

The last meeting was at the Thomas & Mack Center on Nov. 26, 2013, a 61-59 Illinois win

UNLV is 22-13 all-time against teams that currently make up the Big Ten

Illinois snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a home win over Austin Peay (64- 57). Prior to that, it lost at Wake Forest (80-73), at Northwestern in overtime (72-68) and at home to Maryland, also in overtime (92-91)

Illinois started the year with six straight wins (all at home) over Southern, UT Martin, DePaul, Marshall, Augustana (Ill.) and N.C. Central.

UNLV is averaging 91.8 points per game, which ranks sixth in the nation through games of Wednesday, Dec. 6

Five UNLV players are averaging double figures in scoring led by freshman forward Brandon McCoy’s 20.0 ppg. McCoy (11.2 rpg) and junior forward Shakur Juiston (14.7 ppg, 11.9 rpg) are both averaging a double-double

UNLV has shot at least 50 percent from the floor in seven of its nine games this season

UNLV is limiting its opponents to just 24.7 percent from 3-point range this season, which ranks fourth in the country

Senior guard Jovan Mooring led UNLV in scoring and made 3-pointers last season (58, 1.8 per game). So far this year, he leads the team in made 3s with 19

In all nine games, UNLV is outscoring its opponents by an average of 19.9 ppg. That ranks 12th in the country

UNLV is No. 2 in the country in rebounds per game (46.4), third in assists per game (20.3, fourth in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (24.7) and sixth in scoring (91.8)

Eight different players have scored in double figures for UNLV this season

Since the 3-point field goal was adopted by the NCAA in 1986-87, UNLV has converted at least one 3-pointer in all 1,015 games played.

Juiston has 132 points and 107 rebounds this season

in combined 1st halves, UNLV is outscoring opponents 411 to 294

Opponents have taken 52 more FG attempts than UNLV this season

UNLV has scored 177 points from behind the arc and 163 points at the FT line 

Against Oral Roberts UNLV's top rebounder was Clyburn with 8 rebounds - the first time the leading rebounder wasn't Juiston or McCoy and first time the leading rebounder had less than 10 

The Oral Roberts game was the first time no UNLV player recorded a double-double 

 

UNLV media session

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[4UNLV]

I watched Illinois play Austin Peay the other night, they looked terrible, Austin Peay led untill late in the game, and it was a 3 point game until the last 10 seconds. And that was AT Illinois. 

[mundyc3]

Bought my tickets on StubHub. Had the flu for the Arizona game and was at the Knights game Tuesday so I am ready to go. Should be a fun one. 

[BestintheWest]

33 minutes ago, 4UNLV said:

I watched Illinois play Austin Peay the other night, they looked terrible, Austin Peay led untill late in the game, and it was a 3 point game until the last 10 seconds. And that was AT Illinois. 

They kinda have that old UNLV syndrome where they keep teams in the game. They haven't really blown anyone out, but they've also taken Northwestern and Maryland into OT which are both good programs this season.

I think we take them to the woodshed though. We had some solid rest and UNLV is just the better overall team.

1 minute ago, mundyc3 said:

Bought my tickets on StubHub. Had the flu for the Arizona game and was at the Knights game Tuesday so I am ready to go. Should be a fun one. 

Should be a good/better crowd Saturday. Much easier to make these kinda games.

[BestintheWest]

Some impressive stats

6th in PPG

3rd in APG

2nd in RPG

3rd in Effective FG% Defense

3rd in 3p FG% / 28th in 2p FG% Defense

Johnson is 4th in country in APG

Juice is 5th in RPG / McCoy is 8th in RPG

 

Sure had some stat padder games, but this team has the makeup to do it all. Just gotta stay healthy and the skys the limit. They can play with anyone out there.

[BleedRebelRed]

One of UNLV's last NCAA appearances (Kruger's last season?) was ended in convincing fashion by Illinois.  I remember they had two post players 6'9-6'10 -ish who completely dominated the Rebs.

I wonder what the reason is for the early conference games (?)... the Big10 plays only 18 conference games, like us, so why start sooner?...

Big Ten play tips Friday, Dec. 1. Every team will play two conference games Dec. 1-5, before returning to non-conference play until conference action resumes Tuesday, Jan. 2.

[ph90702]

Our rebounding numbers are very misleading.  We are 3rd in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, but we are only 212th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage.  You wouldn’t believe me if I told you who the best defensive rebounding team is.

[ph90702]

7 hours ago, BleedRebelRed said:

One of UNLV's last NCAA appearances (Kruger's last season?) was ended in convincing fashion by Illinois.  I remember they had two post players 6'9-6'10 -ish who completely dominated the Rebs.

I wonder what the reason is for the early conference games (?)... the Big10 plays only 18 conference games, like us, so why start sooner?...

Big Ten play tips Friday, Dec. 1. Every team will play two conference games Dec. 1-5, before returning to non-conference play until conference action resumes Tuesday, Jan. 2.

They started conference play early because they’re playing the Big Ten tournament at MSG.  The Big East is also having theirs at the MSG, but the Big Ten is hosting theirs a week before the Big East.

[Ernie Baer]

Big fan of Brad Underwood but on paper UNLV should win.  UNLV is the more efficient offensive team, better rebounding team and better defensive team (from the floor and behind the arch).  

The one thing though that could keep Illinois in it is turnovers.  Illinois comes in 4th in the nation turning their opponent over, while UNLV is 288th in the country in committing turnovers at just under 16 a game.  

[BSC]

Boise State 1. Fresno. 10,   SDSU. 41

[BSC]

Turnovers will make or break you in a lot of games.  UNLV keeps their turnovers down they should win.  The conference needs a good day today because it really had a poor week.

[Jaredcg]

Illinois hasn’t looked great this year and it’s a home game for UNLV I’d expect another double digit win.

[BestintheWest]

This game should have a Utah type of feeling to it where we just simply out match them.

Illinois plays up to its competition though so far this season and also have couple OT losses to top 60 teams.

 

Should be a good environment. I'll be pregaming early so my Rebel chant game should be on point by 9pm.

[BestintheWest]

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/939473453631066113

 

[kingpotato]

4 hours ago, ph90702 said:

Our rebounding numbers are very misleading.  We are 3rd in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, but we are only 212th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage.  You wouldn’t believe me if I told you who the best defensive rebounding team is.

It's incredibly believable to anyone paying attention. Boise is 14th in the country in rebound margin and 1st in the MW. Boise has always been one of the best in the league in defensive rebounding % even when they had very small teams. They are actually almost a full 3% better than the #2 team in the country. 

[BleedRebelRed]

On 12/8/2017 at 12:51 PM, BestintheWest said:

Should be a good/better crowd Saturday. Much easier to make these kinda games.

From what I hear Illinois is bringing slightly more fans than Arizona did last week.

So UNLV fans need to turn out at MGM much better than on Monday night or it truly will be a neutral court.

[halfmanhalfbronco]

9 hours ago, ph90702 said:

Our rebounding numbers are very misleading.  We are 3rd in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, but we are only 212th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage.  You wouldn’t believe me if I told you who the best defensive rebounding team is.

Yes we would.  Boise is the best basketball team in the conference.

[UNLV2001]

[UNLV2001]

[VincentVegaBond]

Im at the game and all i gotta say is..... holy @%$#  there are a lot of illinois fans here!!! Id say its 2/3 illini fans right before tipoff...