How to watch and what to know about Colorado State men's basketball vs. UNLV
Another night and another key Mountain West showdown.
The Colorado State men's basketball team is 14-3 but has been out of rhythm the last few games. In comes a UNLV team that is hot. UNLV is coming off a win at Boise State, which came days after the Rebels nearly knocked off top-25 Utah State if not for a questionable game-changing foul call in the final seconds.
It will be a national TV showcase for the teams, and it's CSU's annual orange-out game.
Here's a look at everything to know about Friday's game.
What time does Colorado State basketball vs. UNLV start?
Date: Friday, Jan. 19
Start time: 8:30 p.m. MT (due to a TV slide, the game will begin at 8:45 p.m.)
Friday's game between UNLV and Colorado State will begin at 8:30 p.m. MT.
What channel is the UNLV vs. Colorado State basketball game on?
UNLV and CSU's game will be broadcast nationally on FS1.
How to find Fox Sports 1 (FS1):
Comcast/Xfinity: Channel 408 (777 for HD)
DirecTV: Channel 219
Dish Network: Channel 150
Fort Collins Connexion: Channel 55
The broadcast can also be livestreamed through FoxSports.com or the Fox Sports Go app.
Who are the announcers for the TV broadcast?
Play-by-play: Jenny Cavnar
Analyst: Jess Settles
How can you listen to the game on the radio?
The CSU broadcast is available on 99.1 FM or on the Varsity Network app.
CSU's radio team will be Brian Roth (play-by-play) and Adam Nigon (analyst).
What are the records, rankings?
UNLV is 9-7 and 2-2 in the Mountain West. CSU is 14-3 overall and 2-2 in Mountain West play.
CSU dropped out of the top 25 polls after back-to-back losses. The Rams are now first outside the top-25 in both polls.
What's the betting line for UNLV vs. CSU basketball?
CSU is a consensus 7.5-point favorite, according to Vegas Insider.
Who are the coaches?
Kevin Kruger is in his third season as UNLV's coach with a record of 46-34. CSU is led by Niko Medved, who is in his sixth season as head coach of the Rams. He's 106-67 at CSU and 185-155 overall in his career.
Series history
UNLV leads the all-time series 44-20. The teams split the two games last year, each winning on the road.
Stadium information, tickets
The game will be at Moby Arena on Colorado State's campus. Moby has a capacity of 8,083. Tickets are available at CSURams.com/tickets. A sellout or near it is expected.
What do the metrics say?
UNLV is No. 83 in the NCAA's NET rankings and CSU is No. 23. It's a Quad 3 game for the Rams, although it would move to Quad 2 if UNLV moves into the top 75. It's a Quad 1 game for UNLV.
UNLV is No. 78 in KenPom rankings and CSU is No. 29. KenPom projects an eight-point win for the Rams.
Who are the top players to watch?
Here are some players who will be key to the game for each team.
UNLV
Kalib Boone: The 6-foot-9 forward is an Oklahoma State transfer and leads UNLV in scoring at 13.3 points per game on 63% shooting. He plays inside, with zero 3-point attempts this season.
Keylan Boone: The 6-foot-8 forward is Kalib's twin brother. He hadn't received a waiver to play this season as a two-time transfer but then became eligible midseason due to a court case against the NCAA. In nine games he is averaging a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game and 10.1 points.
Dedan Thomas, Jr.: The 6-foot-1 freshman guard was a four-star prospect who chose hometown UNLV over many blue blood programs. He's averaging 6.3 assists per game.
COLORADO STATE
Isaiah Stevens: The offense is struggling, which means it's a big time for the point guard. Stevens had 12 points and nine assists in the OT win over Air Force, but it didn't feel like his best game. He'll need to exploit holes in UNLV for the Rams to get the offense clicking.
Patrick Cartier: The 6-foot-8 forward is one of the most efficient scorers in basketball but was limited in minutes (18) and shots (four) against Air Force as the Rams struggled to get him the ball. CSU will need his offensive production.
Josiah Strong: UNLV is long and athletic, and the physical defense of the 6-foot-4 Strong could be key. The Rams don't need him to score a ton, just hit a couple open shots when available like he did in OT vs. Air Force. Lockdown defense is where he can help CSU win this one.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What channel is UNLV basketball vs. Colorado State on?
