Darris Santee News

UNLV coach Lon Kruger looks on during Thursday's practice on the campus of the University of Hawaii.

UNLV guard Justin Hawkins glides in for a basket against Holy Cross during the second half of the team's Nov.

Kendall Wallace and Oscar Bellfield each scored 16 points to lead UNLV over South Carolina-Upstate 88-58 Saturday night.

UNLV's Steve Jones, left, and Matt Shaw cheer with the rest of the bench as the Rebels pull away from Louisville during the second half of a Nov.

Southern Utah hung with No. 23 UNLV for the first 20 minutes but the Rebels took control with a 12-2 run to open the second half en route to a 77-59 non-conference win over the Thunderbirds Tuesday night.

In a typical film session, UNLV coach Lon Kruger reviews the previous game and emphasizes points positive and negative.

By competing against each other during practice and cheering for each other during games, Darris Santee, Brice Massamba and Matt Shaw have pushed themselves to a combined average 18.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

UNLV forward Matt Shaw fights for a defensive rebound with Louisville forwards George Goode, left, and Jared Swopshire during the second half of a Nov.

After notching hardfought road victories over Arizona and Santa Clara last week, the UNLV Runnina Rebels moved up to No.

Despite a 7-0 start, and a national ranking that will likely improve come Monday morning, coach Lon Kruger and his Runnin' Rebels won't be logging on to Priceline or Expedia to book their Final Four flights to Indianapolis anytime soon.

Lon Kruger has done it again, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels are the talk of Sin City. They are off to a 6-0 start, with impressive wins at home against Nevada, Southern Illinois, and Louisville, and an impressive road win against Arizonaa 'good enough for their best start in 17 years.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger talks with Oscar Bellfield, left, Tre'Von Willis , and Chace Stanback during a game against Southern Illinois at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday.

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NEXT: UNLV at Santa Clara, 7 p.m. Saturday, KWWN-AM UNLV's Tre'Von Willis, left, and Arizona's Jamelle Horne battle for a rebound in the second half of the Rebels' 74-72 double-overtime victory Wednesday in Tucson, Ariz.

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels leave the comfort of Sin City for the first time this season as the 24th-ranked team in the nation ventures off to Tucson where it will contend with the Arizona Wildcats in non- conference action at the McKale Center.

UNLV guard Tre'Von Willis is pressured by Louisville guard Peyton Siva, left, and forward George Goode during the second half of Saturday's game at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Rick Pitino wanted his Louisville Cardinals to play in front of a hostile crowd prior to taking on archrival Kentucky in Lexington.

Oscar Bellfield scored 17 points, Tre'Von Willis scored 16 and UNLV hung on to upset No.

Mack Center prior to Saturday's game against No. 16 Louisville. Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009 1:47 p.m. Back on the Map Embed Despite playing without leading-scorer Wink Adams, the Rebels won their seventh straight, beating eighteenth-ranked Louisville 56-55 at Freedom Hall on Dec.

View the slide show UNLV -- 80 HOLY CROSS -- 59 * KEY: Junior guard Tre'Von Willis and freshman guard Anthony Marshall each scored 14 points to lead the Rebels.