New Mexico at UNLV

UNLV bounced back in a big way after losing its Mountain West opener.

New Mexico is also looking to get back on track after falling to that same opponent.

The 14th-ranked Runnin' Rebels go for their best start in 20 seasons Saturday night when they host a Lobos team looking to stay undefeated away from home.

Winner of seven straight heading into league play, UNLV (17-3, 1-1) shot a season-worst 35.3 percent and lost 69-67 at then-No. 22 San Diego State last Saturday.

The Rebels, though, posted a 101-78 victory over TCU on Wednesday in their conference home opener.

It was the first time UNLV had scored at least 100 points in a conference game since a 106-102 victory over Wyoming on March 3, 2001.

"Tonight, we got back to Runnin' Rebel basketball," coach Dave Rice said. "We felt like we let a great opportunity slip away in San Diego."

Junior guard Anthony Marshall is making the most of his minutes. He scored a career-high 27 points Wednesday and is averaging 19.3 with 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over the last six games.

"Anthony Marshall may be playing better than any guard in America," Rice said.

New Mexico's Tony Snell is not. The sophomore guard leads the Lobos (15-3, 1-1) with 12.8 points per game and 42 3-pointers, but he has totaled 10 points and shot 1 for 8 from long range in conference play after finishing with three points in Wednesday's 75-70 loss to 16th-ranked San Diego State.

New Mexico had won 13 straight.

"It was a great run, a great streak and now we have to try and start again," coach Steve Alford told the school's official website.

The Lobos, who own the league's best field-goal defense at 37.5 percent, have won their four road games by an average of 9.5 points.

UNLV, though, has won its 10 games at the Thomas & Mack Center by an average of 22.4 points. The Runnin' Rebels have won 16 of 21 at home in this series following a 63-62 victory last Jan. 22.

Runnin' Rebels leading scorer Chace Stanback had a team-high 20 points in that game, but he finished with just two in nine foul-plagued minutes of a 77-74 overtime victory in Albuquerque on Feb. 23.

Stanback, averaging 14.7 points, hit five 3s and scored 21 versus TCU after having seven points in each of his previous two games.

Lobos forward Drew Gordon had 25 points and a team-best 27 rebounds in the two losses to UNLV last season. He's averaging 12.6 points and 10.4 boards - second in the Mountain West to UNLV's Mike Moser, who is grabbing 11.4 per game and averaging 14.0 points.

Gordon and Moser were teammates at UCLA for six games in 2009-10 before Gordon transferred. Moser left for Las Vegas following that season.

The Runnin' Rebels are going for their best 21-game start since the 1991-92 team, which finished 26-2. They are 27-15 versus New Mexico.