Wolverines to Face UNLV in Opener at Vegas' Roman Main Event

» Michigan faces UNLV in its matchup in the Roman Main Event being played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
» The Wolverines will play either Arizona or Wichita State in Sunday's championship or consolation.
» Despite it being early in the season, Hunter Dickinson leads U-M in points (18.7) and rebounding (8.3) for a second straight season.
» Eli Brooks (107) needs one more win to tie U-M's all-time mark of 108, held by former teammates Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske, who both played four years (2017-20).

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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The fourth-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team heads to Las Vegas for a matchup against UNLV in the Roman Main Event on Friday (Nov. 19) at T-Mobile Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. PST (12:30 a.m. EST) on ESPN2 with John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the remote call.

Inside the Main Event

• The Roman Main Event will be the fourth specialty game Michigan has played in Las Vegas. The previous appearances include the 1975 and 1995 Las Vegas Holiday Classic and 1989 Duel in the Dessert matchup against Seton Hall. U-M had a road game at UNLV in 1997. The Wolverines are 2-2 in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

• The tournament features four recently name head coaches. U-M's Juwan Howard has the longest tenure as he begins year three in Ann Arbor. Wichita State's Issac Brown was named the permanent head coach of the Shockers after an interim year. Both UNLV's Kevin Kruger and Arizona's Tommy Lloyd begin their first seasons on the sidelines.

• Arizona, UNLV and Wichita State all head to Las Vegas having opened the season 3-0 after winning three straight home games. U-M played its lone exhibition on the road opening Wayne State's new arena, while adding a trip to Washington, D.C., for a Coaches vs. Racism game against Prairie View A&M.

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels

• Friday's game will be the fourth all-time matchup against the Rebels, with the Wolverines trailing 2-1 in the series. No. 16 U-M lost to No. 10 UNLV 108-94 in the first meeting in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Dec. 30, 1975). It took 20 years (Dec. 28, 1995) before meeting again at the Las Vegas Holiday Classic, which was a 66-64 loss for No. 19 Michigan. The Wolverines' lone win was an 83-59 victory on Dec. 6, 1997, at UNLV.
• UNLV has a 3-0 record after three straight home wins over Gardner-Webb (64-58), Cal (55-52) and North Dakota State (64-62). Now, the Rebels will remain at home for the Roman Main Event at T-Mobile Arena.

• The Rebels, who replaced all but three players from last year's squad via recruiting or the transfer portal, are led by one holdover in senior guard Bryce Hamilton, who is posting 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Behind Hamilton is Texas transfer Donovan Williams, who is averaging 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Fifth-year senior and former Texas Longhorn Royce Hamm Jr. averages a near double-double with 9.3 points and 13.7 rebounds per game -- nearly a third of the team's total boards, along with a team-best eight blocks.

• UNLV is shooting 36.2 percent from the field and 21.9 percent from long range. The Rebels have averaged 61.0 points and 40.7 rebounds in their three games.

• Former Rebel guard and assistant coach, Kevin Kruger is in his first year at the helm of the Rebels.

Getting Closer

• Eli Brooks (107) needs one more win to tie U-M's all-time mark of 108, held by former teammates Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske, who both played four years (2017-20).

• Brooks (128) needs to play in 18 more games to tie U-M's all-time mark of 146 career games held by former teammate Zavier Simpson (2017-20).

• Eli Brooks (765) needs 235 more points to become the 56th Wolverine to reach 1,000 career points.

• Brooks (119) needs 31 more three-pointers to reach 150 in his career.

• DeVante' Jones (1,409) needs 91 points to reach 1,500 in his collegiate career.

• Jones (482) needs 18 rebounds to reach 500 in his collegiate career.

• DeVante' Jones (354) needs 146 assists to reach 500 in his collegiate career.

• Jones (162) needs 38 steals to reach 200 in his collegiate career