October 7, 2026 - 10:11 pm

This is what UNLV basketball coach Josh Pastner wants.

Three exhibition games against Power 4 opponents. Teams that will prepare his side for November and beyond. Teams that will offer different looks, different styles, different ways of doing things.

The first such matchup came Wednesday night, when the Rebels lost to Big 12 foe Utah 79-69 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

UNLV was without a handful of leading players nursing injuries and one (senior guard AJ Storr) who’s still ineligible.

“It was a good opportunity for us to play someone else other than ourselves,” Pastner said. “These games are really good for us. … We’ll have a lot of film to watch on this that will allow us to improve, clean some things up and also some things we did well. We’ll keep working on those too.”

It was 45-35 at halftime because the Utes shot 43 percent from 3-point range and during one stretch had six straight baskets from distance.

Missouri transfer Sebastian Mack offered 12 points and four rebounds over the opening 20 minutes for UNLV.

“I thought the first half — and I told him at halftime — he over-dribbled too much and his game was inefficient,” Pastner said. “He was much more efficient in the second half. I’m really proud of him getting six defensive rebounds.”

Mack would finish with 25 and eight in 31 minutes before limping off (cramps) with 4:46 remaining and the Utes up 11.

UNLV next hosts BYU on Oct. 24, followed by a final exhibition game when Missouri visits Oct. 29.