Mountain West media members agree that coach Kevin Kruger's UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team has work ahead, as they've been predicted to finish 5th in the conference this season. The preseason poll, released on media day and reported by News 3 Las Vegas, shows the Runnin' Rebels with 178 points and a few hopeful first-place votes.
The Boise State Broncos, meanwhile, are predicted to securely retain the top spot in the conference, snatching 19 first-place votes and tallying up to 276 points. Sitting just behind them are New Mexico, Nevada-Reno, and San Diego State, as noted by a Las Vegas Review-Journal article.
UNLV has representation on the preseason All-Mountain West team, with sophomore guard Dedan Thomas Jr. making the roster, highlighting him as a player to watch this season. In other individual honors, Boise State center Tyson Degenhart was named player of the year, while San Diego State's Pharaoh Compton, an Arbor View High alumnus, is predicted to be the league's freshman of the year.
Last season, the Mountain West conference sent six teams to March Madness, but the Runnin' Rebels just missed out, finishing with a 21-13 record and a solid 12-6 in conference play. Instead, they aimed for an NIT berth, where they reached the quarterfinals before losing to Seton Hall 91-68. This preseason ranking could motivate them to improve and reignite their NCAA tournament. The Rebels will begin their season on November 4 against Alabama State.
