sentences:  Shortly before Christmas, UNLV faced California, which had been ranked in the Top 25 for much of the beginning of the season, winning 85–68.Thereafter, UNLV dropped 124 points in a lopsided win against an inferior Central Arkansas team.Despite falling to the SDSU Aztecs in their conference opener in a very close game, the Runnin' Rebels responded with soundly defeating New Mexico, the preseason Mountain West favorite, at home in front of a sold out crowd as well as blowing out an up–and–coming Colorado State club that easily beat that at UNLV the previous year.