Thursday, November 20th, 10:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Thomas & Mack Center (18,500) -- Las Vegas, Nevada. Television: None. Home Record: NAU 1-0, UNLV 2-0. Away Record: NAU 0-1, UNLV 0-0. Neutral Record: NAU 0-0, UNLV 0-0. Conference Record: NAU 0-0, UNLV 0-0. Series Record: UNLV leads, 16-9.

GAME NOTES: The Lumberjacks from Northern Arizona get their first shot at a legitimate opponent tonight as they confront the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center in La Vegas. After opening the 2008-09 campaign against Utah Valley last Friday night, a meeting that resulted in a 68-62 setback in Orem, Utah, the 'Jacks bounced back on Monday by picking up a 95-63 win over Haskell Indian Nations University, a school that competes at the NAIA level. As for the Rebels, this is the third of four straight home games to open up the new season. The team has already dispensed with San Diego in a 65-60 decision and Texas-Pan American on Tuesday night, 73-48, as part of the first round of the Global Sports Classic. As far as the all-time series between these schools is concerned, the Rebels have a mark of 16-9 versus NAU. Last season, the teams met in Flagstaff where the Lumberjacks surrendered an 83-74 decision to UNLV.

Against an unknown program like Haskell, the Lumberjacks were bound to put up strong numbers. Not only did the squad shoot 57.1 percent from the field, there were a total of six players who scored in double figures, and yet they still turned the ball over 25 times somehow. Shayar Lee led the way with 17 points, Matt Johnson tallied 14, Zarko Comagic 13 and seven rebounds, followed by Shane Johannsen with 11 points. Josh Wilson and Josh Lepley both tallied 10 points, but combined for 10 miscues as well for a program that outrebounded the visitors by a 50-28 margin. After two games Johnson is shooting an even 50 percent from the floor for his 15.5 ppg, with Wilson having knocked down an incredible 9-of-13 from the field (.692) en route to his 11.5 ppg. As a team the 'Jacks are shooting 52.2 percent overall, which is not that far off from their effort at the free-throw line thus far (.600).

For most teams, shooting just 39.1 percent from the field and 6-of-28 behind the three-point line would spell certain defeat, yet the Rebels not only were competitive against Texas-Pan American with those sort of numbers, they actually won by 25 points earlier this week. Wink Adams, who is expected to be one of the top performers in the Mountain West Conference this season, tallied a mere five points, as did fellow starters Joe Darger and Oscar Bellfield. Rene Rougeau came up with 12 points and backup DeShawn Mitchell a team-best 14 points in just 14 minutes off the bench. Part of the difference was that UNLV forced 18 turnovers and outscored the visitors 17-5 at the stripe. Adams is second on the team in scoring after two games with 12.0 ppg, but he is shooting a mere 35 percent from the field and 3-of-11 behind the three-point line. The team has outscored the first two foes by 15 ppg, and yet they are shooting only 24.6 percent out on the perimeter and 37.5 percent from the floor overall.

As poorly as the Rebels have shot the ball thus far, they seem to have the intangibles that don't always appear on the stat sheet. The 'Jacks are a tougher matchup than Texas-Pan American, but not by much.

Predicted Outcome

UNLV 78, Northern Arizona 66