GAME NOTES: Bragging rights in the Silver State are up for grabs, as the UNLV Runnin' Rebels and the Nevada Wolf Pack meet for the very first time in the Mountain West Conference Tournament when they tangle in the first round of the event on Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Considered a part of the Governor's Series, in addition to being the first step for one of these teams in the 16th annual tournament, this meeting pits a pair of disappointing programs that had much greater potential when the 2014-15 campaign began.

The 10th-seeded Wolf Pack, a mere 2-15 away from home this season, closed out the regular season with a 67-43 blowout loss to San Diego State on the road last weekend. The defeat was the second in a row and the fifth in six tries for a group that logged only five wins in 18 league opportunities and a total of nine victories overall.

Meanwhile, the Runnin' Rebels are a young group, but has two of the more talented players in the conference in Christian Wood and Rashad Vaughn. Unfortunately, the latter suffered a knee injury and that put even more pressure on Wood to carry the squad. UNLV was sporadic for much of the campaign, alternating wins and losses for the last six games as it finished seventh in the MWC standings.

This is the 80th meeting all-time between the in-state rivals, with UNLV owning a 57-22 edge in the series. The programs split a pair of regular-season meetings, with the visitors taking care of business each time. The last encounter in Las Vegas turned up a 64-62 victory for the Pack the first week of January.

The winner of this game goes right back to the hardwood on Thursday to clash with second-seeded San Diego State in the quarterfinals.

During conference play there were only a few high points for the Wolf Pack, as they shot only 38.0 percent from the floor and were a dismal 26.7 percent accurate behind the 3-point line. Add to that an effort at the free-throw line that fell below 70 percent and it was easy to see why the program was generating only 59.8 ppg.

The one bright spot for Nevada was AJ West, a starter in all 18 league bouts who averaged 13.1 ppg and 12.1 rpg, on his way to being named All-MWC Third Team earlier this week. A 50.6 percent shooter from the floor who refrained from even taking a single shot from beyond the arc, West managed to block 44 shots, but also accounted for a mere 10 assists, against 48 turnovers. Tyron Criswell added another 11.0 ppg to the attack.

Vaughn was named the MWC Freshman of the Year on Tuesday, but surely the Runnin' Rebels would prefer having him on the floor Wednesday rather than simply accepting accolades while injured. A starter in all 23 games in which he appeared, Vaughn was averaging 17.8 ppg and still finished second on the unit with 54 3-pointers, just one behind Patrick McCaw (10.0 ppg) in that department before going on the shelf.

An All-MWC Second Team selection, Wood averaged a double-double with 15.2 ppg and a team-best 10.1 rpg, but for some reason he still insisted on trying his hand at 3-point shooting (.286). Wood was clearly more valued in the paint where he blocked 87 shots, three more than Goodluck Okonoboh as the pair formed one of the top shot-blocking duos in the nation.

In addition to not having Vaughn, there is now word that the Rebels might also be without McCaw due to a concussion which, if is indeed the case, will swing favor towards the Wolf Pack, although not by much.