Good news for UNLV, Kruger

Just a few minutes after learning that UNLV came in at No. 25 in this week's ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll, Lon Kruger got some more good news. Son Kevin Kruger had been named the Mountain West Conference's player of the week.

It marked the first career weekly honor and the fourth for a UNLV player this year.

Kruger led the Runnin' Rebels in scoring with 22.5 ppg and assists with 9.0 per game as UNLV increased its win streak to four games with two wins last week. He shot 55 percent from 3-point range (11-for-20) and made 14-of-26 field goals overall (53.8 percent) for the week. He had an impressive 9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio for the week.

At New Mexico in UNLV's 85-83 win over the Lobos on Wednesday, Kruger had perhaps the game of his life. He scored a game and career-high 29 points on 8-of-11 from the field (72.7 percent), including 7-of-9 from 3-point range (77.8 percent). He also had a game-high nine assists with no turnovers and grabbed five rebounds, had two blocks and a steal in 35 minutes of action. He saved the Rebels from potential defeat as he blocked a Lobo 3-point attempt out of bounds with under one second to play. His nine assists were one shy of his career high of 10.

Against Colorado State in both team's regular-season finale on Saturday, which was senior night for UNLV, Kruger scored a game-high 16 points and again had a game-high nine assists to lead UNLV to its 14th straight home win and first undefeated home conference season in 14 seasons. Kruger added four 3-pointers against the Rams with two rebounds, just two turnovers and a steal in 31 minutes of action.