UNLV Rebels guard Keshon Gilbert (10) arrives for a game against the Boise State Broncos at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 | 1:07 p.m.
A couple weeks after we learned UNLV’s non-conference opponents, the Mountain West filled in the rest of the blanks on Wednesday by releasing the 2022-23 conference slate.
The MWC schedule features 18 games, bringing UNLV’s total to 30 contests. UNLV will wrap non-conference play on Dec. 22 against Southern Mississippi, and Mountain play will open on Dec. 28 with a road trip to San Jose State. UNLV will then return to host San Diego State in a New Year’s Eve contest at the Thomas & Mack Center.
After a bye, UNLV will travel to face New Mexico on Jan. 7. The first matchup with UNR will come Jan. 28 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
One of the most difficult stretches will come when UNLV ventures out for back-to-back road games at Wyoming (Feb. 7) and San Diego State (Feb. 11). Both opponents made the NCAA Tournament last year and are expected to contend in the Mountain West in 2022-23.
The unbalanced schedule appears to have worked in UNLV’s favor this year. The Scarlet and Gray will get two games against each of the four Mountain West teams that made the NCAA Tourney last year (Colorado State, Wyoming, San Diego State and Boise State), while skipping a trip to Air Force and losing a home game against New Mexico.
The Mountain West ranked seventh in the KenPom conference ratings in 2021-22.
UNLV will head north to Reno to take on UNR in the regular-season finale on March 4. The Mountain West tournament will commence on March 8.
UNLV’s full Mountain West schedule:
at San Jose State (Dec. 28)
vs. San Diego State (Dec. 31)
at New Mexico (Jan. 7)
vs. Boise State (Jan. 10)
vs. Colorado State (Jan. 14)
at Utah State (Jan. 17)
at Fresno State (Jan. 21)
vs. Wyoming (Jan. 24)
vs. UNR (Jan. 28)
at Colorado State (Jan. 31)
vs. Fresno State (Feb. 4)
at Wyoming (Feb. 7)
at San Diego State (Feb. 11)
vs. San Jose State (Feb. 14)
at Boise State (Feb. 18)
vs. Air Force (Feb. 25)
vs. Utah State (Feb. 28)
at UNR (March 4)
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.