Men's College Basketball Preview and Prediction: Nevada vs. UNLV

The Runnin' Rebels host their in-state rival, Nevada Wolf Pack, on Friday night in a Mountain West Conference battle.

UNLV Rebels guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (11) dribbles against Creighton Bluejays guard Steven Ashworth (1) in the first half at CHI Health Center Omaha. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team is flying high after bouncing back on Tuesday with a big road win against the San Jose State Spartans. The victory brought their conference record up to 9-8, allowing them to maintain their sixth-place ranking in the Mountain West Conference. Next up for the Rebels is the seventh-place Nevada Wolf Pack.

The Wolf Pack currently sit at 8-9 in Mountain West Conference play, however, they actually boast a better overall record at 16-12 than UNLV who has a 15-13 overall record. This should prove to be a tough test for the Rebels, but they will have home-court advantage on their side which should play a significant factor in this game.

UNLV has played well at home going 10-5 in Vegas while Nevada has gone just 3-6 on the road this season. If UNLV can win this game they will pull away from in-state rivals Nevada, but Nevada can pull even with the Rebels if they can go on the road and pull off the upset.   

How to Watch Nevada vs. UNLV

What: Nevada Wolf Pack @ UNLV Runnin' Rebels

When: Friday, February 28

Time: 11:00 PM EST

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports App

Free student tickets for tomorrow’s game against UNR available now!

CLAIM 🎟️: https://t.co/tvEVFuvQJF pic.twitter.com/9n6Jqi8fOo

— UNLV Men's Basketball (@TheRunninRebels) February 27, 2025

UNLV Players to Watch and Predictions

Jaden Henley, UNLV Runnin' Rebels - With star guard and the Rebels' offensive catalyst Dedan Thomas Jr sidelined on Tuesday due to injury, Henley stepped into his role and had the best game of his career. The junior went off for a career-best 22 points in a team-high 39 minutes. He also hit a number of clutch game-sealing free throws in the final minute of the game to secure the victory against the Spartans in a highly contested matchup. 

Nevada Players to Watch and Predictions

Nick Davidson, Nevada Wolf Pack - Davidson is the top player for Nevada and is a key cog on both sides of the ball. He leads the team with 16.2 points per game and is their most efficient scorer from the field with a 51.5 field goal percentage. The forward also leads the team on the boards grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game while also serving as their time rim protector blocking 1.0 shot per game.

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