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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Just about any decent person who meets Kevin Kruger comes away with the same impression: Man, the UNLV men’s basketball head coach is a really good dude.
But being a nice guy has not translated into any NCAA Big Dance appearances in 2021-22 (18-14), 2022-23 (19-13) and 2023-24 (21-13).
And it looks like if the Runnin’ Rebels don’t win the Mountain West Conference tournament title here at Thomas & Mack Center, Kruger and UNLV will not compete in the NCAA basketball tournament again this season.
It’s logical to ask a simple question: Will the 41-year-old Kruger be the UNLV coach after this season in light of zero appearances in the national March Madness tourney.
Kruger is the son of former veteran college basketball coach Lon Kruger, who coached at UNLV from 2004-11, including a Sweet 16 appearance in the 2007 Big Dance. Kevin Kruger was the point guard on UNLV’s 2007 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team as a senior when his dad was coach here.
Kruger has a calm and friendly exterior in public appearances, though he received his first career coaching technical in tonight’s game against Nevada, Reno for being too far out on the floor.
In this photo, Kruger had donned a red LV baseball hat at a Las Vegas Aviators minor league game over the summer.
After UNLV defeated Nevada, Reno, 68-55, Kruger has won 74 games and lost 53, which is winning more than 58 percent of his games during his four years. Nevada’s players missed a lot of shots, making only 20 of 59 shots for nearly 34 percent. UNLV’s Jalen Hill scored 14 points, while Jaden Henley added 13. Julian Rishwain chipped in with 11 and Jailen Bedford has ten points. Nevada’s Kobe Sanders scored 30 of his team’s 55 points.
He was not hired by current UNLV Athletic Director Erick Harper. Former UNLV AD Desiree Reed-Francois hired Kruger in March 2021 to replace T.J. Otzelberger, who left Las Vegas for the head coach job at Iowa State.
Harper hired a big-name coach in Dan Mullen only two and a half month ago. If Harper fires Kruger, would he seek an established coach like St. John’s did with Rick Pitino?
UNLV has not qualified for the NCAA national tourney in a dozen years since Dave Rice was coach.
Even with UNLV’s win over its in-state rival tonight, the Runnin’ Rebels will need to win the Mountain West tourney to get into the Big Dance.
Another issue is the number of fans in the arena for UNLV home games is not impressive. Tonight’s attendance was announced at 7,466 for the rivalry game. UNLV’s basketball team was once Las Vegas’ standard bearer in this market. But now as Las Vegas has become a big league sports market, the UNLV basketball program draws an aging, graying fan base.
UNLV has won 16 of 29 games this season, including a 10-8 record in the Mountain West.