Preview: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels at San Jose State Spartans

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Interstat) — The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and San Jose State Spartans, two Mountain West Conference teams seeking consistency, will meet Saturday at the Event Center.

UNLV (8-8, 2-2 MW) arrives after an emotional 89-85 overtime victory over Boise State on Tuesday. The Spartans (6-11, 1-3) snapped a three-game skid with a 70-62 home win over Air Force the same night.

The matchup features two of the league’s top offensive talents. UNLV is powered by guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who is coming off a career-high 33-point, six-assist performance in 45 minutes against Boise State. Over his last seven games, Gibbs-Lawhorn is averaging 19.3 points.

San Jose State will counter with guard Ben Roseborough, who has provided a scoring punch. He tallied 19 points in the win over Air Force and had 23 in a loss at Grand Canyon on Jan. 10.

The Rebels have struggled on the road this season, with recent blowout losses at Wyoming (98-66) and Colorado State (70-62). Their offense, however, has shown potency at home, averaging 81.6 points in their last five games in Las Vegas.

San Jose State has faced its own challenges, particularly on defense, allowing an average of 77.2 points per game. Their conference win over Air Force marked a positive step, with Roseborough, Pasha Goodarzi (18 points) and Adrian Myers (15 points) leading the way.

Historically, UNLV has dominated the series, but both teams enter with identical 1-1 records in their last two games. The Rebels will look to establish an inside presence alongside Gibbs-Lawhorn, with forwards Kimani Hamilton and Howie Fleming, who combined for 33 points against Boise State, playing key roles.

For the Spartans, protecting home court is critical as they navigate a difficult conference schedule. Their ability to contain Gibbs-Lawhorn and find secondary scoring beyond Roseborough will likely determine the outcome.

Saturday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They will play again at UNLV on Feb. 10.

Up Next: UNLV travels to Utah State on Tuesday. San Jose State visits Nevada on Tuesday.