Former UNLV Runnin' Rebels player and first-year head coach Dave Rice inherited a squad that finished 24-9 in 2011, made its fourth NCAA Tournament in five seasons, and returned over 75 percent of its scoring (including its leading scorer, Chace Stanback). As a result, the Rebels received four of 26 first-place votes in the Mountain West Conference preseason media poll, which ranked second behind New Mexico.
NCAA Bracket 2012: How UNLV Basketball Got To March Madness
UNLV earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament after a strong regular season performance.
Sophomore forward Mike Moser is the Rebels' leading scorer and rebounds in 2011-12, averaging 14.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while adding a team-high 60 steals. Stanback is right behind Moser with a 13.0 points per game due largely to his sterling 74-of-159 (46.5 percent) effort on three-point attempts. Junior guard Anthony Marshall is the third Rebel averaging double-digits points per game (12.0) and is second on the team with a 5.1 rebounds per game average. Senior point guard Oscar Bellfield averages 9.8 points and a team-high 5.3 assists per game.
UNLV’s 25-7 regular season included a perfect 17-0 record on their home floor and 2-0 mark in neutral sites. The Rebels opened the season 13-2 and were 20-3 entering February, where they went 4-3 and hit a low point with a 20-point loss to New Mexico.
The Rebs earned the No. 6 seed in the South Region and will face Pac-12 Tournament champion Colorado in the Second Round.
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