Friday night in CBB will see the California Golden Bears travel travel to the City of Sin to take on the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. The game is scheduled for a 5:00 pm tipoff and will be televised live on CBS Sports Network. Currently UNLV is favored by 5 points with the total being set at 140 for this game.   In the top-25 for the second time this season, the 21st-ranked UNLV Runnin' Rebels put their lofty ranking on the line this evening, as they welcome the California Golden Bears to Sin City for a non-conference affair at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Free Analysis: The Golden Bears are off to a fast start this season and they have spent time in the top-25 this year. Mike Montgomery's squad has won 10 of its 12 games this year, with the losses coming to Missouri and San Diego State. Although California is off to a fast start this season, all 10 of its wins have come at home or on a neutral floor. As a result, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the Bears, who lost 92-53 to Missouri earlier this year and they may have problems with the Rebels, who play the same uptempo style. Few teams have been able to get much going offensively against the Golden Bears (10-2), who are giving up 47.3 points and 30.9 percent shooting during a four-game winning streak and just 56 ppg (12th) on 38.1% shooting overall. The Bears have also had little trouble on the offensive end, where they are averaging 72.5 ppg (107th) on 48% shooting (37th), while they are one of the better long range teams, hitting 43% from downtown, which is 4th in the nation.  This is the fifth all-time meeting between these two teams. UNLV has won three of the previous four matchups, but California won the last meeting in 2008. Allen Crabbe leads a trio of double-digit scorers with 16.1 ppg. Jorge Gutierrez and Cobbs follow with 13.9 and 12.0 ppg, respectively. Head coach Dave Rice has the Runnin' Rebels among the best teams in the country, with wins in 12 of their first 14 games, including victories over ranked foes in North Carolina and Illinois. The team's two losses have come to Wichita State and Wisconsin, but UNLV has won three straight to find its way back into the polls, including an 81-63 blasting of ULM on Monday. The Rebels are a dangerous team at both ends of the floor as well. UNLV is enjoying a +13.7 scoring margin this season, averaging 77.9 ppg, while limiting the opposition to just 64.2 ppg. The team utilizes a balanced scoring approach, led by the perimeter exploits of Chase Stanback, who is averaging 14.5 ppg. Stanback is the team's resident sniper, shooting an impressive .453 from three-point range (29-of-64), while Mike Moser provides a low post presence, averaging a double-double with 13.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Oscar Bellfield and Justin Hawkins provide depth with 10.4 and 10.1 ppg, respectively. This is the fifth all-time meeting between these two teams. UNLV has won three of the previous four matchups, but California won the last meeting in 2008.

Free Pick: Were gonna look at the Over here. The Rebels are a faced paced team and their offense is clicking as they have averaged 77.9 ppg on a big 46.8% shooting. The Cal Bears come in averaging a very nice 72.5 ppg on 48.4% shooting and they have nailed it from long range hitting 43.8% from downtown. The Bears have been awesome on defense of late as they have allowed just 47.3 ppg in their last 4 games, but they have played one game vs this style of offense this year (Missouri) and they allowed 92 points in that one. The Rebels have played good defense at home (60.2 ppg), but they haven't played this kind of offense on their home floor and overall they have allowed 65.2 ppg and they don't really defend the three well as they have allowed 35.3% (236th) from long range. The Bears can play uptempo if need be and the Rebels should have the game at that pace. Both teams average over 70 points and that what I expect here, both teams over 70.