New Hoops Preview: UNLV Vs Utah State - Game 24

UNLV vs Utah State

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Runnin’ Rebels (11-12, 6-4) | Utah State Aggies (17-7, 6-5)

When one road game ends, another one is set to begin. This time out, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (11-12) will be traveling to Utah to take on the Utah State Aggies (17-7) on February 5, 2020, at 7:00 pm PT at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Coming off their 95-77 loss to the Colorado State Rams, the Rebels are heading into this matchup against Utah State looking to turn things around and grab their first win to break their current three-game slump.

The last time these two teams faced off was to start the new decade on January 1. UNLV ran away with the game 70-53, and they are looking to do the same on Wednesday. Now, UNLV sits at the fourth spot in the Mountain West Conference, and Utah State just two places below at the six spot.

Despite UNLV’s unsuccessful efforts to obtain a win in their past three matchups, things haven’t been all bad. Bryce Hamilton has continued with his efforts to will his team to victories, averaging 27.6 points as well as 7.3 rebounds during their previous three games. With the hot streak Hamilton has been on, it would surprise no one if he continues this high level of play against Utah State.

In the previous battle against Utah State back on January 1, Hamilton went on to score 20 points, and behind him, Amaury Hardy chipping in 14, both leading their team to the win. However, it is going to take more than Hamilton and Hardy’s effort alone this time around. The Runnin’ Rebels will all need to be on the same page defensively, and if they are, it should naturally lead to offense on the other end.

As for the Utah State Aggies, they are also coming off an 80-68 loss to the undefeated No. 4 San Diego State Aztecs. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Aggies, as they led the game 39-31 heading into the half, but then went on to get outscored by 20 points in the second.

Sam Merrill, the leading scorer for the Aggies, averaging 17.8 points per game this season, led the team in scoring with 16. Right behind him was Brock Miller with 15. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure the win against a formidable opponent who has been on a hot streak like no other. However, the Aggies are looking to bounce back with a win against UNLV.

Both teams are coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder. Both are coming off severe losses and are looking to get the upper hand over the other. UNLV will have to come out of the gates strong if they want to win this one on the road. Utah State is a formidable opponent when they hold the home-court advantage, as they have an 11-1 home record. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to beat them at home.

This is a game that may very well go down to the wire. We have two teams closely seeded in their conference, both looking to get on the right track after dropping their previous games. For UNLV, this isn’t a must-win, but it would be a morale booster for the Rebels before they head back to Vegas. For Utah State, the same rules apply; however, they aren’t going to want to drop a game in front of their home crowd. With that being said, both teams have to lay it all on the line to win this game.

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Las Vegas! If you want another great place to watch the game, head to Al’s Garage in Summerlin. There are multiple televisions to watch all the games. Al’s has “Happy Hour” starting at 9 AM and ending at 9 PM. Al’s Garage is located at 11760 W. Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada 89135. Tell them, “The Franchise sent you!!”

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Buy Runnin’ Rebel tickets here

Terence Smith

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