UNLV @ Nevada preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 29, 2019 ) Nevada 87, UNLV 70

Nevada has a chance to tie its school record for consecutive home victories of 18 if it can win its final two Mountain West contests at the Lawlor Events Center. But to do that the 13th-ranked Wolf Pack will have to first get by the last team to defeat them in Reno, in-state rival UNLV on Wednesday night.

The Runnin’ Rebels, who have won three of their last four games, upset the then-23rd ranked Wolf Pack 86-78 back on Feb. 7, 2018 behind a career-high 31 points - including six 3-pointers - from guard Jovan Mooring. Since then Nevada, which played that game without eventual Mountain West Player of the Year Caleb Martin, has rattled off 16 straight home wins which ranks third in school history behind a 17-game streak in 1924-25 and the record 18-gamer in 2003-04. The atmosphere figures to be even more electric since the school will retire the No. 22 jersey of all-time leading scorer and three-time WAC Player of the Year Nick Fazekas at halftime along with the fact the Wolf Pack hold just a half-game lead in their quest to become the first school in Mountain West history to win three consecutive outright regular-season titles. “Bring your ear plugs, if you don’t like noise,” Nevada coach Eric Musselman, who coached Fazekas in the NBA D-League, told reporters. “I almost feel like the roof could come off Wednesday.”

TV: 11 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT UNLV (15-12, 9-6 Mountain West): The Runnin’ Rebels come in off a tough 60-59 home loss to San Diego State on Saturday as Nick Blair missed a potential game-winning 3-point shot at the buzzer. Senior point guard Noah Robotham scored a game-high 18 points, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, while 6-11 sophomore forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong finished with eight points and career-high 15 rebounds. Senior guard Kris Clyburn leads a balanced attack with 13.3 points per game with sophomore guard Amauri Hardy (13.0) and freshman forward Joel Ntambwe (12.1) also averaging in double figures.

ABOUT NEVADA (25-2, 12-2): The Wolf Pack bounced back from a 65-57 loss at San Diego State, which finishes the regular season in Reno, with a 74-68 victory over visiting Fresno State on Saturday. Forward Caleb Martin, who leads the team in scoring with a 19.3 average, led the way with 24 points while senior forward Jordan Caroline, who is averaging 18.3 points and a team best 9.6 rebounds, added 17 points. Junior guard Jazz Johnson (11.0), who made his first start of the season last time out, and senior point guard Cody Martin (10.7) also are averaging in double digits scoring with Cody Martin dishing out a Mountain West-leading 5.2 assists per game.

TIP-INS

1. UNLV leads the all-time series 60-28, but the Wolf Pack are 6-2 against the Runnin’ Rebels under Musselman and have won the last three in a row - all at the Thomas & Mack Center, including one in the quarterfinals of last year's Mountain West Tournament.

2. Nevada is 45-2 in its last 47 home games under Musselman.

3. Caroline has 15 double-doubles this season and a Mountain West career record 42 with the Wolf Pack.

PREDICTION: Nevada 88, UNLV 72