LAS VEGAS – After a season of peaks and valleys, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels head into the Mountain West tournament with renewed optimism. Despite a regular season record that hovered around .500, first-year head coach Josh Pastner has instilled a belief that a tournament run – and a potential NCAA Tournament berth – is within reach. The Rebels begin their quest Wednesday at noon against No. 9 seed Wyoming at the Thomas & Mack Center, a matchup that Pastner emphasizes is paramount.
For over a decade, excitement surrounding the Mountain West tournament has been limited for UNLV fans. The program hasn’t reached the championship game since a loss to Recent Mexico in 2013, and their last semifinal appearance came in 2014. Pastner, who brings five NCAA Tournament appearances from his previous tenures at Memphis and Georgia Tech, is determined to change that narrative. “This represents a great opportunity for us. Everyone starts 0-0, and you receive kind of a renewed, fresh season in a sense,” Pastner said. “Obviously, the goal is to win the tournament and keep playing in the NCAA tournament.”
A Season of Growth and Improvement
UNLV’s offensive output has seen a significant boost under Pastner. The team is averaging 80.2 points per game, the highest since the 2017-18 season and the second-highest since 1999-2000. Their tempo, measuring the speed of play, ranks 48th nationally according to KenPom rankings, also the best mark since 2017-18. Pastner noted that fans reached out upon his hiring, hoping he would restore the high-octane style of the “Runnin’ Rebels” of the past. “Our style of play is an exciting brand to watch, and we’ve got to be better defensively. I’ve said that a bunch,” Pastner stated. “But there’s also been a lot of positives, so hopefully One can keep extending it.”
Individual Accolades Highlight a Turnaround
The Mountain West conference recognized the Rebels’ improvement on Tuesday, announcing postseason awards. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn was named Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team all-conference honors, a significant achievement for the junior guard. Tyrin Jones was selected to the all-defensive team and received an honorable mention all-conference nod. Gibbs-Lawhorn is only the second player in Mountain West history to receive the Newcomer of the Year award since Mike Moser in 2012. Jones became the first true freshman since 2019 to be named to the league’s all-defensive team, leading the conference with 2.0 blocks per game – a feat not seen from a UNLV player since the 2014-15 season.
Even as Gibbs-Lawhorn was a strong contender for Mountain West Player of the Year, the team also advocated for Jones to receive the Defensive Player of the Year award. Guard Howie Fleming Jr. Didn’t receive conference recognition, but he made his mark in the record books with two triple-doubles within a 10-day span, joining Stacey Augmon as the only two players in program history to achieve that twice in a career. Fleming finished the regular season as one of only three players nationwide with multiple triple-doubles.
Adversity Forges Team Cohesion
Despite the accolades, Pastner and his players acknowledge the challenges they’ve faced this season. “We have caught our stride,” Pastner said. “You don’t come in here and have guys immediately understand the culture. It takes a little time… I don’t want this season to end.” Both Fleming and Gibbs-Lawhorn pointed to adversity as a key factor in the team’s growth. “When you face adversity as a group of people or even with a certain person, you find out whether you guys really love each other or you guys hate each other,” Gibbs-Lawhorn explained. “And I feel like everyone can agree that during the adversity and the hard times we faced, we grew a lot closer.”
Despite being given only a 3 percent chance to win the Mountain West tournament by multiple national outlets, Gibbs-Lawhorn said the team isn’t focused on external expectations. “It’s really not a factor,” he said. “I’d say almost everyone that isn’t us counted us out throughout this whole season. So it’s got to the point we really don’t care what anyone thinks.”
Up Next
Who: No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 9 Wyoming
What: Mountain West men’s tournament
When: Noon Wednesday
Where: Thomas & Mack Center
TV: Mountain West Network (streaming)
Radio: KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM)
Line: UNLV -3½; total 154½
The Rebels’ immediate focus is on Wednesday’s matchup against Wyoming. Pastner stressed the importance of this first game, stating, “You can’t get to the end if you don’t win the first game.” As UNLV looks to defy expectations and make a run in the Mountain West tournament, their resilience and newfound team chemistry will be crucial. What comes next for the Runnin’ Rebels will depend on their ability to translate their regular-season improvements into tournament success.
What are your predictions for UNLV’s tournament run? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
