Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to find cheap UNLV basketball tickets. However, in the history of college basketball, it’s hard to find more than a handful of programs that have accomplished more than the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. UNLV has one of the highest winning percentages in Division I history. The Rebels will always have a special place in the history of the game, which is why true fans will always jump at the chance to get their hands on last-minute UNLV basketball tickets.

The Shark

Leading the Runnin’ Rebels through their glory years was Hall of Fame coach Jerry Tarkanian, who coached UNLV from 1973 to 1992. Despite some trouble with NCAA violations along the way, Tarkanian led UNLV basketball to incredible heights. He led the Rebels to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1975 and ultimately turned them into a national program after joining the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1982. Under Tarkanian, the Rebels won 10 straight conference championships from 1983 to 1992. That stretch included six trips to the Sweet 16, the 1990 national championship, and a nearly perfect season during the 1990-91 campaign in which UNLV didn’t lose a game until bowing out in the Final Four. It was a 10-year stretch that few programs outside of John Wooden’s UCLA have ever come close to replicating.

The Aftermath

After reaching great heights under Tarkanian, UNLV basketball fell a long way after the Shark’s departure. Since 1992, the Runnin’ Rebels have won just one regular-season conference championship and made just one Sweet 16 appearance. Head coach Lon Kruger brought UNLV back to a respectable level but didn’t stay long enough to build something special. However, the Rebels continue to be a program with a proud history and plenty of potential.