By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
It’s hard to imagine a college basketball team with an NCAA championship on its resume drawing announced attendance of 637 hearty folks to a game. But that was the official number for the crowd at Michelob Ultra Arena where UNLV defeated the Seattle University Redbirds by 20 points Wednesday.
UNLV played on the Strip this week because its home court at Thomas & Mack Center was covered with a foot of dirt for the National Finals Rodeo, which drew a packed house as usual Friday when 17,210 rodeo fans watched the world’s best cowboys and cowgirls compete in seven categories.
To make sure more than 637 was listed as attendance for Saturday’s UNLV vs Hartford basketball game at Michelob Ultra Arena, UNLV announced after Wednesday’s game that fans can claim 2,500 free tickets for today’s game.
The Runnin’ Rebels gave the fans who showed up at the arena at Mandalay Bay on the south end of the Strip quite an offensive show. After UNLV poured in 44 points in the first half, the Rebs topped that with 51 in the second half. UNLV polished off Hartford, 95-78, to run its record to 6-5, while Hartford lost its eighth game in nine starts.
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There were certainly more than 637 fans at the arena for the 12 noon game. It looked as if a few thousand fans were in the venue.
Besides the 2,500 free tickets, UNLV said another 1,000 tickets were made available thanks to contributions.
Bryce Hamilton poured in 33 points, while Donovan Williams had a big offensive performance with 32 points. Point guard Jordan McCabe distributed the ball to the tune of 11 assists.
Brooks Downing, who promoted the UNLV games on the Strip, said there were 3,200 in the arena for the high noon game.
“I just want to say thank you to them. Our fans are passionate and they are loud. They get into it. We hope to see them back at the Thomas & Mack Center next week,” UNLV coach Kevin Kruger said.
“The guys appreciate it. They feed off of it and with the rodeo in town this was a great two games for us here,” he said. “We would just love for people to come back out next week and cheer on the guys.”
Things have changed for UNLV basketball, once a mighty national power.
UNLV had a college all-star team when it won its national title in 1990 with a 30-point win over Duke.
Now the Las Vegas sports market is very competitive, with new indoor football and indoor lacrosse teams starting in 2022.
UNLV’s men’s basketball team used to make the NCAA tournament, but hasn’t gone to The Big Dance since 2013.
The team’s lack of attendance can be tied to its lack of wins.
The team has had some talented individual players during this eight-year dry period of no NCAA tourney appearance.
But the team just hasn’t meshed amid a carousel of head coaches who now include the head guy of the huddle — former Runnin’ Rebels guard Kevin Kruger, son of former UNLV head coach Lon.