# 1988–89 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team

The 1988–89 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada Las Vegas as a member of the Big West Conference during the 1988–89 college basketball season. Led by head coach Jerry Tarkanian, the team played its home games in the Thomas & Mack Center. The Runnin' Rebels won conference regular season and tournament titles, reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, and finished with an overall record of 29–8.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| Nov 25, 1988* | No. 8 | vs. DePaul Maui Invitational | W 86–77 | 1–0 | – | – | – | Lahaina Civic Center (3,700) Lahaina, HI |
| Nov 26, 1988* | No. 8 | vs. No. 4 Oklahoma Maui Invitational | L 81–83 | 1–1 | – | – | – | Lahaina Civic Center (4,200) Lahaina, HI |
| Nov 27, 1988* | No. 8 | vs. Memphis State Maui Invitational | W 90–86 | 2–1 | – | – | – | Lahaina Civic Center (3,700) Lahaina, HI |
| Dec 10, 1988* | No. 9 | at No. 10 Arizona | L 75–86 | 2–2 | – | – | – | McKale Center (13,624) Tucson, AZ |
| Dec 15, 1988 | No. 13 | UC Irvine | W 100–85 | 3–2 (1–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,453) Las Vegas, NV |
| Dec 21, 1988* | No. 13 | Rhode Island | W 88–69 | 4–2 | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (16,517) Las Vegas, NV |
| Dec 22, 1988* | No. 13 | Texas A&M | W 110–67 | 5–2 | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,437) Las Vegas, NV |
| Dec 28, 1988* | No. 12 | Pepperdine | W 88–56 | 6–2 | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (18,024) Las Vegas, NV |
| Dec 29, 1988 | No. 12 | San Jose State | W 101–68 | 7–2 (2–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,535) Las Vegas, NV |
| Jan 3, 1989 | No. 12 | at Long Beach State | W 97–76 | 8–2 (3–0) | – | – | – | The Gold Mine (1,889) Long Beach, CA |
| Jan 5, 1989 | No. 12 | New Mexico State | W 79–58 | 9–2 (4–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,971) Las Vegas, NV |
| Jan 9, 1989 | No. 12 | Pacific | W 83–61 | 10–2 (5–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,463) Las Vegas, NV |
| Jan 11, 1989 | No. 11 | at Fresno State | W 83–77 | 11–2 (6–0) | – | – | – | Selland Arena (10,159) Fresno, CA |
| Jan 16, 1989 | No. 11 | Cal State Fullerton | W 66–63 | 12–2 (7–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (18,405) Las Vegas, NV |
| Jan 19, 1989 | No. 10 | Utah State | W 102–80 | 13–2 (8–0) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (18,732) Las Vegas, NV |
| Jan 22, 1989* | No. 10 | at No. 4 Louisville | L 74–92 | 13–3 | – | – | – | Freedom Hall (19,632) Louisville, KY |
| Jan 25, 1989 | No. 13 | at Utah State | W 94–68 | 14–3 (9–0) | – | – | – | Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,024) Logan, UT |
| Jan 30, 1989* | No. 13 | No. 4 Oklahoma | L 88–90 | 14–4 | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (19,000) Las Vegas, NV |
| Feb 4, 1989 | No. 16 | at UC Irvine | L 98–99 | 14–5 (9–1) | – | – | – | Bren Events Center (5,000) Irvine, CA |
| Feb 6, 1989 | No. 19 | UC Santa Barbara | W 77–61 | 15–5 (10–1) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (18,683) Las Vegas, NV |
| Feb 9, 1989 | No. 19 | at Cal State Fullerton | L 92–93 | 15–6 (10–2) | – | – | – | Titan Gym (4,000) |
| Feb 12, 1989* | No. 19 | at No. 17 NC State | W 89–80 | 16–6 | – | – | – | Reynolds Coliseum (12,400) Raleigh, NC |
| Feb 16, 1989 | No. 18 | at San Jose State | W 95–66 | 17–6 (11–2) | – | – | – | San Jose Civic Auditorium (2,454) San Jose, CA |
| Feb 19, 1989* | No. 18 | Temple | W 62–60 | 18–6 | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (19,020) Las Vegas, NV |
| Feb 20, 1989 | No. 18 | Long Beach State | W 104–74 | 19–6 (12–2) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (17,191) Las Vegas, NV |
| Feb 23, 1989 | No. 18 | Fresno State | W 75–71 | 20–6 (13–2) | – | – | – | Thomas & Mack Center (19,000) Las Vegas, NV |
| Feb 25, 1989* | No. 18 | at LSU | L 87–88 | 20–7 | 25 – Augmon | – | – | Maravich Assembly Center (13,581) Baton Rouge, LA |
| Feb 27, 1989 | No. 18 | at UC Santa Barbara | W 84–75 | 21–7 (14–2) | – | – | – | The Thunderdome (6,000) Santa Barbara, CA |
| Mar 2, 1989 | No. 18 | at Pacific | W 81–71 | 22–7 (15–2) | – | – | – | Alex G. Spanos Center (4,477) Stockton, CA |
| Mar 5, 1989 | No. 18 | at New Mexico State | W 75–73 | 23–7 (16–2) | – | – | – | Pan American Center (12,839) Las Cruces, NM |
| Big West tournament |||||||||
| Mar 9, 1989* | No. 18 | vs. UC Irvine Big West tournament Quarterfinal | W 102–82 | 24–7 | – | – | – | Long Beach Arena (7,242) Long Beach, CA |
| Mar 10, 1989* | No. 18 | vs. Cal State Fullerton Big West tournament Semifinal | W 99–83 | 25–7 | – | – | – | Long Beach Arena (8,153) Long Beach, CA |
| Mar 11, 1989* | No. 18 | vs. New Mexico State Big West tournament championship | W 68–62 | 26–7 | – | – | – | Long Beach Arena (7,034) Long Beach, CA |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| Mar 16, 1989* | (4 W) No. 15 | vs. (13 W) Idaho First round | W 68–56 | 27–7 | 17 – Augmon | 14 – Scurry | 4 – Hunt | BSU Pavilion (12,241) Boise, ID |
| Mar 18, 1989* | (4 W) No. 15 | vs. (12 W) DePaul Second Round | W 85–70 | 28–7 | 23 – Butler | 11 – Augmon | 7 – Hunt | BSU Pavilion (12,428) Boise, ID |
| Mar 23, 1989* | (4 W) No. 15 | vs. (1 W) No. 1 Arizona Regional semifinal | W 68–67 | 29–7 | 21 – Hunt | 6 – Tied | 11 – Anthony | McNichols Sports Arena (16,813) Denver, CO |
| Mar 25, 1989* | (4 W) No. 15 | vs. (3 W) No. 11 Seton Hall Regional final | L 61–84 | 29–8 | 16 – Anthony | 14 – Scurry | 4 – Anthony | McNichols Sports Arena (16,813) Denver, CO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. |||||||||
Source

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| AP | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 15 |
| Coaches | 7 | 7^ | 8 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 14 |
^Coaches did not release a week-1 poll.

## Awards and honors

* Stacey Augmon – NABC Defensive Player of the Year, Big West Conference Player of the Year