Kevin Kruger has not taken an easy path in his first season. With UNLV’s non-conference schedule, the Rebels will only play one team that finished 300th or worse in Ken Pom rankings last season.
The schedule is highlighted by a tough stretch of games from late November into December. From November 19 through December 4, UNLV will play Michigan, one of Arizona or Wichita State, UCLA, at SMU and at San Francisco.
All five of those opponents finished in the top 100 of Ken Pom, with Michigan and UCLA as likely top 25 teams this season.
But beyond the marquee names, even UNLV’s “cupckaes” aren’t that easy.
The Rebels will play non-division I Whittier College and Omaha, who was ranked 300th by Ken Pom last season. But that might be the end of the soft part of the schedule.
Gardner Webb, North Dakota State, Hartford and San Diego all finished as top 200 teams last season.
UNLV ranked 176th.
Taking Ken Pom rankings of last season and applying them to the next is a rough way of evaluating a strength of schedule. But if UNLV does not improve significantly, they will not have many easy wins on the schedule.
Kruger also took an interesting approach to road games. The Rebels only play two and they are back to back on December 1 and December 4. UNLV will be lightly tested away from Las Vegas before playing nine road games in the Mountain West.
Overall this schedule gives UNLV a good start for an NCAA Tournament resume. Obviously the Rebels need to actually win games. But the quality opponents exist on the schedule. If UNLV is good this season, they will prove it before Mountain West play starts.
UNLV’s Full Schedule
November: 10 Gardner Webb
November: 13 Cal
November: 5 NDSU
November: 19 Michigan
November: 21 Arizona/Wichita State
November: 24 Whittier College
November: 27 UCLA
December: 1 at SMU
December: 4 at USF
December: 8 Seattle
December: 11 Hartford
December: 15 Omaha
December: 22 San Diego
December: 28: OFF
January 1: San Diego State
January 4: at San Jose State
January 8: at Air Force
January 11: New Mexico
January 15: Fresno State
January 18: at San Diego State
January 22: San Jose State
January 25: OFF
January 29: at Colorado State
February 1: Nevada
February 5: at Utah State
February 8: Air Force
February 12: at Boise State
February 15: at Fresno State
February 19: Colorado State
February 22: at Nevada
February 26: Boise State
March 1: Wyoming
March 5: at New Mexico