UNLV fires coach Kevin Kruger, one of the program's links to its glory-day past

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Coach Kevin Kruger, who led UNLV to the Sweet 16 as the team's point guard in 2007 while playing for his father, Hall of Famer Lon Kruger, was fired by the Rebels on Saturday.

Kruger went 76-55 in four seasons and failed to lead the Rebels to the NCAA Tournament. The program, once one of college basketball's national powers, hasn't been a part of March Madness since 2013.

This season's team was ravaged by injuries, forced to play a six-man rotation in the Mountain West Tournament. Utah State eliminated UNLV 70-58 in Thursday's quarterfinals, leaving the Rebels with an 18-15 record.

“While there have been notable achievements during his tenure, there have also been challenges," UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said in a statement. "We have significant aspirations for our men’s basketball program, both within the Mountain West and on a national level, with the goal of competing in the NCAA Tournament. Our expectation is to contend for and win championships. After evaluating the program as a whole, I believe a change is necessary to achieve these goals.”

Harper has extensive financial challenges as he searches for a new coach. A UNLV report to the Nevada Board of Regents last week showed the athletic department ran a $27 million deficit in the 2024 fiscal year.

But UNLV might have to offer a lucrative contract if it wants to attract a coach capable of regaining relevance, something the school has shown a willingness to do. UNLV hired football coach Dan Mullen in December, giving him a five-year, $17.5 million contract.

Basketball has long been UNLV's calling card, but the Rebels have struggled in recent seasons to become even Mountain West contenders.

Much of the Rebels' most recent success came under Lon Kruger, who was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. He went 161-71 while coaching UNLV from 2004-11, taking the Rebels to the NCAA Tournament four times in his final five years.

That included a Sweet 16 appearance in 2007 with Kevin Kruger, an Arizona State transfer, running the offense on the floor. He was college basketball's first graduate transfer to take advantage of a new rule allowing him to play right away. Him taking UNLV deep into the NCAA Tournament right away made national headlines.

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