FACTS & STATS: Site: Qwest Center Omaha (17,839) -- Omaha, Nebraska. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: KSU 4-4, UNLV 32-14. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The Kent State Golden Flashes and UNLV Runnin' Rebels are set to do battle today, as they collide in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Qwest Center Omaha. The winner of this Midwest Regional matchup will earn the right to face either Kansas or Portland State in the second round on Saturday. With wins in 11 of their last 12 games, the Flashes claimed both the Mid-American Conference regular-season and tournament titles, earning the league's automatic NCAA bid in the process. This is KSU's fifth all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where it has gone an even 4-4. The Flashes, whose ninth seed is their highest ever in this tourney, have advanced as far as the "Elite Eight" in 2002. As for UNLV, it captured the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship and with that came an automatic bid to the Big Dance. The eighth-seeded Rebels are making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their 16th overall. The program holds an impressive 32-14 mark in this event and that includes a title in 1990. Today's game marks the first-ever meeting between UNLV and KSU on the hardwood.

The Flashes are a deep and balanced team and they are currently scoring 69.2 ppg, while holding their opponents to just 61.6 ppg. Al Fisher heads the squad in scoring at 14.0 ppg and he has shown his unselfishness by handing out a team-high 4.1 apg. Mike Scott ranks second in both scoring (13.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg) and he is also accurate from three-point range when given the chance, hitting on 39.5 percent of his tries. Chris Singletary chips in with 10.2 ppg and also has 58 steals to his credit, helping KSU average a solid 8.5 swipes per game. Haminn Quaintance rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.0 ppg on a blistering 61.0 percent shooting from the field, and he is also pulling down a team-high 7.5 rpg.

The Rebels, behind a trio of double-figure scorers, are averaging 70.1 ppg on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 74.4 percent at the charity stripe this season. Wink Adams paces this attack with 16.6 ppg and he is also distributing 3.0 apg and converting 84.1 percent of the time at the foul line. Curtis Terry and Joe Darger are tied for second at 11.2 ppg, with Terry dishing out a team-high 4.9 apg and Darger pulling down 4.6 rpg. Another player worth mentioning is Rene Rougeau, who nets just 9.0 ppg, but leads the team in rebounding (6.1 apg) as well as steals (70).

Both teams enter the tourney with a full head of steam and this game appears to be pretty evenly matched. If anything, KSU has the edge in the frontcourt and that should help it triumph today.

Predicted Outcome

Kent State 67, UNLV 66