Men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger was named the 2007-08 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. Kruger has led this year’s Runnin’ Rebels to a 23-7 overall record and a second-place finish in the MWC with a 12-4 league mark. He has led UNLV to back-to-back seasons with at least 23 wins for the first time since 1990-91 and 1991-92. UNLV loss four starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team, and their 2006-07 MWC Defensive Player of the Year. UNLV is without 62 percent of the scoring, rebounding and minutes played from last season’s team and is competing with just a 10-man roster after the loss of three players from the program during the season. Additionally, UNLV is winning with a lineup that averages just 6-feet, 4.5-inches and whose tallest starter is only 6-foot-7-inches.

    The MWC Tournament starts Wednesday at 6pm for the number 2 seeded Rebels. They will face the number 7 seeded Horned Frogs of TCU.