REBELS HOST CSU SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Dick Calvert being honored at halftime

 The UNLV men’s basketball team (12-4 overall, 1-3 Mountain West) remain home this weekend to host its second straight game at the Thomas & Mack Center against Colorado State (9-9, 1-4) on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4 p.m.

Legendary “Voice of the Rebels” Dick Calvert will be honored at halftime in a ceremony that will include the revealing of a banner in the rafters.

Colorado State comes to Las Vegas having lost five of its last six contests. Its lone win over that span was at home against Fresno State (79-57). The Rams are coming off a home overtime loss to Air Force on Tuesday night (85-74). CSU is 1-4 in true road games this season. The Rams have four players averaging in double figures led by Isaiah Stevens (17.5 ppg). He has only played in 11 games as he was out with an injury. The others are John Tonje (13.4 ppg), Patrick Cartier (13.3 ppg), and Isaiah Rivera (10.5 ppg). Tonje is the team’s leading rebounder (4.9 RPG), while Stevens leads in assists (6.0 APG). Cartier is the conference’s leader in field-goal percentage (.653, 9th in the nation). The Rams lead the conference in field-goal percentage (.494, 12th in nation), assists (18.11 per game, 10th in nation), and assist/turnover ratio (1.78, 1st in nation), while they are third in 3-point shooting (.371). Last season, CSU was 25-6 overall and finished second in the MW with a 14-4 league mark. The Rams lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Michigan, 75-63, and David Roddy was selected as the No. 23 overall pick in the NBA Draft. This season’s team was picked to finish fourth out of 11 in the MW’s preseason poll with Stevens being named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. CSU’s 16-man roster includes 11 upperclassmen. The Rams are coached by Niko Medved, who is in his fifth year at the school with a record of 86-55 (.610) and in his 10th year overall as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 165-142 (.537).