Wednesday, July 15, 2015 | 12:40 p.m.
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Dave Rice heard the feedback last year. As nice as some fans thought it was to see UNLV’s first-ever game on the Las Vegas Strip, it annoyed just as many, if not more, that they had to pay extra for a game against Utah that they felt could have been included in the season-ticket package.
This year, that’s exactly where you can find UNLV’s Dec. 4 game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena against Oregon, something Rice has promised at public events for months.
“We really liked the Utah game last year, but the thing that was tough about that game was that it wasn’t in the season-ticket package,” Rice said. “We have fans who have supported us and I know are excited about this season, so it was a priority for us.”
Finagling the contract to include that game for season-ticket buyers is the reason the Rebels’ full nonconference schedule didn’t come out until today, three weeks after the conference schedule and after many other programs have announced their own. For Rice, the wait was simply the price to pay to give fans what they wanted while also putting together another loaded nonconference slate that includes the Maui Invitational, Arizona State at home and trips to Arizona and Wichita State.
“It always helps recruiting when we can talk about the quality teams that we play in the nonconference and it certainly helps get us ready for conference play because we know how difficult the Mountain West Conference is,” Rice said. “The other thing I think is it helps motivates our guys all spring, summer and fall because we have to be ready.”
The university can’t publicize it, but the Sun reported weeks ago that UNLV would start its season on Halloween with a secret scrimmage at USC, where former Rebel Katin Reinhardt is a junior. Fans and media aren’t allowed to attend the scrimmages, though reports tend to make their way out of the gym.
The public games start Friday, Nov. 6, with a home exhibition against Whittier, a Division III school in southern California. The first regular season game is a week later at home against Cal Poly.
The Maui Invitational is Nov. 23-25, and the field includes some of the best traditional powers in basketball history — Kansas, Indiana, UCLA — while the Oregon game a little more than a week later kicks off the team’s annual Rodeo Road Trip. The National Finals Rodeo takes over the Thomas & Mack Center from Dec. 4-12.
During that stretch, UNLV will play Oregon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and then travel to Wichita State and UC Riverside, going 18 days in between games at the Mack. Unlike last year’s game on the Strip, UNLV-Oregon is not part of a doubleheader.
Since taking over, Rice has created home-and-home series with both Arizona and Arizona State, and this year those come in back-to-back games, with a home tilt against the Sun Devils on Wednesday, Dec. 16, followed by a Saturday trip to Arizona. UNLV’s home victory last year against the Wildcats was the team’s best victory of the season.
Here’s a look at the full 2015-16 schedule. Times and TV information will be announced at a later date:
Sat, Oct. 31 — Scrimmage at USC
Fri, Nov. 6 — Whittier (exhibition)
Fri, Nov. 13 — Cal Poly
Mon, Nov .16 — New Mexico Highlands
Wed, Nov. 18 — Southern Utah
Mon-Wed, Nov. 23-25 — at Maui Invitational*
*Field also includes Kansas, Indiana, UCLA, St. John’s, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Chaminade
Sat, Nov. 28 — Prairie View A&M
Fri, Dec. 4 — Oregon at MGM Grand Garden Arena
Wed, Dec. 9 — at Wichita State
Sat, Dec. 12 — at UC Riverside
Wed, Dec. 16 — Arizona State
Sat, Dec. 19 — at Arizona
Tue, Dec. 22 — South Dakota
Wed, Dec. 30 — Fresno State
Wed, Jan. 6 — at Colorado State
Sat, Jan. 9 — at Wyoming
Wed, Jan. 13 — New Mexico
Sat, Jan. 16 — Air Force
Wed, Jan. 20 — at Utah State
Sat, Jan. 23 — at UNR
Wed, Jan. 27 — Boise State
Sat, Jan. 30 — San Diego State
Wed, Feb. 3 — at New Mexico
Sat, Feb. 6 — at Fresno State
Wed, Feb. 10 — San Jose State
Sat, Feb. 13 — Colorado State
Wed, Feb. 17 — at Air Force
Sat, Feb. 20 — UNR
Wed, Feb. 24 — at Boise State
Sat, Feb. 27 — Wyoming
Sat, March 5 — at San Diego State
Wed-Sat, March 9-12 — Mountain West Tournament at Thomas & Mack Center
“We really liked the Utah game last year, but the thing that was tough about that game was that it wasn’t in the season-ticket package,” Rice said. “We have fans who have supported us and I know are excited about this season, so it was a priority for us.”
Finagling the contract to include that game for season-ticket buyers is the reason the Rebels’ full nonconference schedule didn’t come out until today, three weeks after the conference schedule and after many other programs have announced their own. For Rice, the wait was simply the price to pay to give fans what they wanted while also putting together another loaded nonconference slate that includes the Maui Invitational, Arizona State at home and trips to Arizona and Wichita State.
“It always helps recruiting when we can talk about the quality teams that we play in the nonconference and it certainly helps get us ready for conference play because we know how difficult the Mountain West Conference is,” Rice said. “The other thing I think is it helps motivates our guys all spring, summer and fall because we have to be ready.”
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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