LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 20: Kevin Kruger # 2 of the UNLV Rebels talks to his father, UNLV head coach … [+]
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UNLV has officially promoted assistant coach Kevin Kruger to become a male basketball coach.
Kruger, the son of Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger, will take over for TJ Otzelberger, who left to take over at Iowa State.
Kruger is set to become the sixth head coach in 10 years and 14th since the departure of Jerry Tarkanian in 1992. The Runnin ‘Rebels, who won the NCAA tournament in 1990 and reached the championship game in 1991, appeared. last in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Kruger played at UNLV in 2006-7 and returned to Runnin ‘Rebel in 2019.
During its first season on the coaching staff in Las Vegas in 2019-20, UNLV tied for second place in the Mountain West, marking the program’s best league finish in 12 years.
Under Otzelberger, the Rebels went 29-30 in two seasons.