The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels completed a 2004-05 season in which they finished 17-14 straight up, which included a Mountain West Conference mark of 8-7, good for a fourth place finish in the league.
UNLV finished 2004-05 with a solid mark of 16-11 against the college basketball betting boards. The Rebels finished the year strong with eight payoffs in their final ten games, which included a second round bid in the NIT for an encouraging end to the season.
UNLV had been spending the better part of fifteen years trying to reclaim the glory and magic achieved under legendary head coach Jerry Tarkanian, who led them to the 1989 national championship. But since Tark’s departure, UNLV had faded into a mediocre program both on the court and at the sportsbook.
Up then down start
UNLV opened the 2005-06 season with a 108-73 home win over Long Beach State as 11.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 67-61 home win over Hawaii as 3.5-point chalks. UNLV was unable to sustain momentum, however, as they next lost at home to arch-rival Nevada 61-68 as 1.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 62-80 loss at Oklahoma State as 11-point dogs and then a 63-69 loss at Oregon State as 2-point dogs for an up then down start of 2-3 ATS.
Cranking cash
The Rebels were not down for long, however, starting with a 72-78 loss at Hawaii that they covered as 10-point value-added dogs. That was then followed by a 67-72 loss at Minnesota, again as value-added dogs of 8-points. The Rebs returned home and kept on cranking cash with an 84-73 win over Texas Tech as .5-point chalks.
UNLV next beat Houston 83-73 as 3.5-point home chalks for a fourth consecutive payoff before the streak ended with a 61-75 home loss to Pepperdine as 12.5-point overlays.
UNLV did not stay down for long, however, as they got a nice 79-60 blowout home win and payoff over Loyola Marymount as 9.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 67-53 unlined home win over Southern Utah.
More Conference cash
UNLV opened Mountain West Conference play with an 88-77 win at Wyoming as 1-point chalks. That was then followed by an 82-72 home win over Brigham Young as 4.5-point chalks. After a 67-83 loss at San Diego State as 4-point dogs, the Rebels cranked out more conference cash with a 68-57 home win over Colorado State as 4.5-point chalks. UNLV kept it going with a 71-59 win at Utah as 1-point chalks.
After a 67-83 loss at San Diego State as 4-point dogs, the Rebels scored a 68-57 home win over Colorado State as 4.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 71-59 win at Utah as 1-point chalks. There was then another brief blip in the form of a 50-52 home loss to upstart Air Force as 3.5-point chalks but UNLV went right back to black in their next game, a 67-56 home win over New Mexico as 7.5-point chalks.
The Rebels were one of the hottest and most profitable teams in the land with ten covers in their last thirteen games and the oddsmakers were yet to keep up with them as evidenced by their 73-60 win at Texas Christian as 4.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 66-54 home win over Wyoming as 11-point chalks and then a 72-75 win at Brigham Young as 3.5-point dogs.
Market correction
UNLV was one of the hottest teams on the board and that, along with playing in the gambling Mecca, made them a target that simply could not sustain momentum. The market correction started with a 70-81 loss to San Diego State as 3.5-point dogs. After a final payoff in an 80-72 win at Colorado State as 2-point dogs, the Rebels went on to fail to get the cash in their final four regular season games.
UNLV then went 1-1 both SU&ATS in the MWC tourney go finish with just two payoffs in their final eight games.