UNLV Vs. UC Riverside College Basketball Preview

7 Hours Ago

Dec 7, 2024; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; UNLV Rebels guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (11) drives against Creighton Bluejays center Fredrick King (33) in the first half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images / Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

After losing to Dayton by one point on Wednesday, the UNLV Men’s Basketball team has dropped four of their last five and are now 5-5 on the young season. However, the good news is that they have a chance to right the ship on Saturday when they host UC Riverside on Saturday, December 21. The Rebels are 5-1 on their home court this season and have defeated UC Riverside in all four previous meetings.

Guard Dedan Thomas Jr. has been UNLV’s top player and leading scorer, averaging 16.6 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game. Perhaps most impressively, he’s knocking down threes at a 41.9% rate. UNLV as a team has the 37th-best three-point percentage in the country this season. Considering UC Riverside struggles to defend the perimeter, Thomas Jr. is poised for a massive game on Saturday.

That Dedan Thomas Jr bullseye 🎯 @TheRunninRebels pic.twitter.com/DHSk1B46if
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 6, 2024

Forward Jeremiah Cherry has also had an impressive start to the season, particularly on the glass. He leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game, while also chipping in 10.5 points. Cherry is going to have to be very physical with Riverside’s 6’10” center, Joel Armotrading, who is averaging just under 7 boards per game himself. Armotrading has the height advantage so it will be interesting to see how the Rebels try to keep him off the glass.

The Rebels will also need a defensive gameplan for UC Riverside’s leading scorer, Barrington Hargress. The guard has been insanely efficient this season, averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. If the Rebels are able to slow him down, they have an excellent chance to get back in the winning column.

The odds for this game have not been released yet but UNLV should be the favorite coming into this contest despite their recent struggles. We anticipate a big victory for the Rebels this weekend!

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