Washington State announces non-conference tilt with UNLV in Las Vegas Clash event
Washington State will face UNLV at MGM Grand in Las Vegas this December.
The non-conference matchup was announced on Tuesday. It’ll be part of a doubleheader that also features Arizona-Indiana in the Las Vegas Clash. The Cougars will play in the first game of the day on FS1, with tip-off set for 1:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 10.
🚨 SCHEDULE UPDATE 🚨
Cougs will play UNLV in the 2022 Las Vegas Clash at MGM Grand, Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m.#GoCougs | #WAZZU pic.twitter.com/YTvYYZyDqg
— Washington State Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarsMBB) August 23, 2022
“We are excited to participate in the Las Vegas Clash,” said head coach Kyle Smith in a release. “This is an opportunity for us to go on the road and compete against a quality opponent in Las Vegas. It will give our kids a good prep for our conference tournament.”
The Cougars won 22 games last season in Smith’s third year at the helm and earned the school’s first postseason berth in more than a decade. They followed up a strong regular season with an appearance in the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. WSU will be led by returning starters TJ Bamba and Mouhammed Gueye as well as a recruiting class that features blue-chip freshman center Adrame Diongue and transfer guards Justin Powell and Jabe Mullins.
“With our strong finish last year and our growth as a program, we have made a commitment to playing in nonconference events that will get us ready for the Pac-12 and NCAA,” Smith said. “The Las Vegas Clash is a perfect fit for our philosophy. To be associated with storied programs like UNLV, Arizona, and Indiana in a high-profile event is a tribute to the hard work that our players have put into the program.”
UNLV went 18-14 last year in coach Kevin Kruger’s first season.
Tickets for the doubleheader (Arizona plays IU at 4:30 p.m. PT) go on public sale on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. PT here. Tickets start at $49 (prices are inclusive of tax and facility fee) and are good for both games. Complete event information can be found here.