Ayrton Oneill
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are the men's basketball team representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the Mountain West Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team has a rich history in the NCAA Tournament, with a 63.5% winning percentage and a National Championship win in 1990. They have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times and produced several notable players, such as Freddie Banks and Jarvis Basnight. In recent years, the team has faced challenges and long odds to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, with new coach Josh Pastner aiming to restore their winning ways.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Runnin' Rebels |
| University | University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
| Conference | Mountain West Conference |
| League | National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) |
| Division | Division I |
| All-time NCAA Tournament Record | 33-19 |
| Winning Percentage | 63.5% |
| Ranking in 2023 | Seventh-highest winning percentage in Division I history |
| Number of Appearances in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) | 11 |
| Combined NIT Record | 10-12 |
| Number of Retired Jerseys | 10 |
| Recent Coaches | Josh Pastner, Kevin Kruger, Chris Beard, Marvin Menzies |
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What You'll Learn
UNLV Runnin' Rebels' tournament history
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are the men's basketball team representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the Mountain West Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). They play their home games at the Thomas & Mack Center on campus.
The Runnin' Rebels have a rich history in the NCAA Tournament, with a 33-19 record and a 63.5% winning percentage. They have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times, with a combined record of 10-12.
The 1986-87 season was a standout year for the Runnin' Rebels, as they finished the regular season as the nation's top-ranked team. They entered the NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the West Region and advanced to the Final Four, ultimately falling to the champions in a close semi-final matchup.
The 1989-90 season was another memorable campaign for the Runnin' Rebels. Led by head coach Jerry Tarkanian, they won the regular season and Big West tournament championships. They received the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in four years. They defeated Georgia Tech in the semi-finals and went on to win their first and only national championship, defeating Duke by a score of 103-73. This victory remains the most lopsided win in championship history and was also UNLV's eleventh consecutive win.
The Runnin' Rebels have continued to find success in recent years, making the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and 2010. In 2007, they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over 15 seasons, losing to Oregon by a score of 76-72.
The team has also boasted several notable coaches throughout its history, including Jerry Tarkanian, who led UNLV to the NCAA Division I Tournament Championship in 1990 and the Final Four in 1977, 1987, 1990, and 1991. Chris Beard, who was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2015-16, and Marvin Menzies, who was named Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2015, have also coached the Runnin' Rebels.
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The team's new coach, Josh Pastner
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels have a rich history in collegiate basketball, with several NCAA tournament appearances and a national championship title in 1990. In March 2025, the team welcomed a new head coach, Josh Pastner, who replaced Kevin Kruger. Pastner, a former ESPN analyst, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the Runnin' Rebels.
Pastner's basketball journey began at a young age. At just 13, he published a scouting service in Houston, and by 16, he was already coaching one of the teams in his father's AAU program. His playing career included being a walk-on for the University of Arizona's national championship team in 1997. Pastner's coaching career commenced in 2000 as a graduate assistant under Lute Olson at Arizona, where he spent six seasons. He then moved on to Memphis, serving as an assistant coach under John Calipari. When Calipari departed for Kentucky, Pastner stepped up to the head coach role at Memphis.
During his time at Memphis, Pastner demonstrated his prowess as a coach, guiding the Tigers to four NCAA tournament appearances in seven seasons. He also secured back-to-back Conference USA regular-season titles in 2012 and 2013, the latter being an unbeaten conference season with an impressive 31-5 overall record. After seven successful seasons at Memphis, Pastner took on the challenge of coaching Georgia Tech.
At Georgia Tech, Pastner faced some setbacks. In his seven seasons, he only managed one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021, when they won the ACC tournament championship. However, it's important to note that this was Georgia Tech's only tourney appearance in the last 15 seasons. Additionally, Pastner was recognized as the ACC Coach of the Year in 2017. Despite his efforts, Georgia Tech was sanctioned for recruiting violations committed by an assistant coach and a booster during his tenure.
Now, as the head coach of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels, Pastner has expressed his enthusiasm for the role, calling it his "dream job." He recognizes the significance of UNLV in college basketball and is committed to engaging with the Las Vegas community. Athletic director Erick Harper praised Pastner's hiring, highlighting his success as a head coach, relentless recruiting abilities, and exceptional communication skills. With Pastner's energy, recruiting expertise, and experience, the Runnin' Rebels aim to restore the program to national prominence.
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The 1986-87 Runnin' Rebels
The 1986–87 Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada Las Vegas in NCAA Division I men's competition. Led by head coach Jerry Tarkanian, the team played its home games in the Thomas & Mack Center and was a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA). The 1986–87 season was a historic one for the Runnin' Rebels, as they became the first team to end the regular season as the nation's top-ranked team.
The Rebels dominated the PCAA with a perfect record of 18–0, with their only regular-season loss coming against Oklahoma, 89–88. They entered the NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the West Region and advanced through the first three rounds with relative ease. In the regional final, they faced a tough challenge from Iowa, but managed to pull out an 84–81 victory to secure their spot in the Final Four in New Orleans.
The semi-final matchup with Indiana was a showcase of the Rebels' talent, with Freddie Banks setting a tournament record for 3-pointers. Despite their best efforts, the Rebels ultimately fell to the eventual champions, losing a close game 97–93. The 1986–87 Runnin' Rebels left a lasting legacy, with their success serving as a testament to the team's hard work and dedication.
The "Runnin' Rebels" nickname is unique to the men's basketball team at UNLV, with the default nickname for men's sports teams being simply "Rebels" and all women's teams known as "Lady Rebels". The Runnin' Rebels have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times and have had several players' jerseys retired, including Freddie Banks's number 13 in 2021.
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The team's retired jerseys
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are the men's basketball team representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the Mountain West Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team plays at the Thomas & Mack Center on campus, an 18,000-seat arena named after prominent Nevada bankers E. Parry Thomas and Jerome Mack.
The Runnin' Rebels have a history of success in the NCAA Tournament, with a 63.5% winning percentage and a national championship title in 1990 under the leadership of coach Jerry Tarkanian. The team has also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times.
To honour their outstanding contributions, UNLV has retired ten players' jerseys to date. The three most recent retirements were Robert Smith's number 10 in 2022, Freddie Banks' number 13 in 2021, and Eddie Owens' number 11 in 2016. These jerseys now hang proudly in the rafters of the Thomas & Mack Center, alongside those of other retired players.
Freddie Banks, a former UNLV star who also coached Canyon Springs High School, had his jersey retired in 2021. Banks played a pivotal role in the Rebels' success, including their perfect record of 18-0 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association during the 1986-87 season. Robert Smith, a member of Jerry Tarkanian's first UNLV Final Four team, was honoured with the retirement of his number 10 jersey in 2022. Eddie Owens, another UNLV standout, had his number 11 jersey retired in 2016, solidifying his legacy with the Runnin' Rebels.
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The Thomas & Mack Center
In addition to basketball games, the Thomas & Mack Center has hosted various events and competitions, including the National Finals Rodeo (annually since 1985), the PBR World Finals (1999-2015), and WWE PPV events such as No Way Out (2001 and 2008) and Vengeance (2005). The arena has also welcomed many famous musical acts, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Diana Ross, Elton John, Mötley Crüe, AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica, Kiss, Aerosmith, Phish, R.E.M., and more.
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Frequently asked questions
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels have a history of participating in basketball tournaments, including the NCAA Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They have also been in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament on multiple occasions. However, specific years and contexts are needed to provide an exact answer.
As of 2023, the UNLV men's basketball team has a record of 33-19 in the NCAA tournament, with a winning percentage of 63.5%.
Yes, Jerry Tarkanian led the UNLV Runnin' Rebels to the NCAA Division I tournament championship in 1990.
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times and have a combined record of 10-12.
As of 2024, Josh Pastner is the head coach of the UNLV men's basketball team.
