FACTS & STATS: Site: Qwest Center Omaha (17,839) -- Omaha, Nebraska. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: UNLV 33-14, Kansas 77-36. Series Record: Kansas leads, 3-0.

GAME NOTES: The eighth-seeded UNLV Runnin' Rebels and the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks meet for the first time in 10 years this evening, as they clash in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Omaha. The winner of this Midwest Regional matchup will move on to face either Villanova or Siena in the Sweet 16. UNLV, winner of the Mountain West Conference Tournament, had no trouble in its first round game of this event, capturing a 71-58 triumph over ninth- seeded Kent State on Thursday. This is the second straight appearance in the second round for the Rebels, who advanced to the Sweet 16 of last year's tournament. Overall, UNLV is 33-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a national championship in 1990. As for Kansas, it was offered very little resistance in its first round bout, notching an 85-61 triumph over 16th-seeded Portland State on Thursday. The Big 12 Tournament champions have now won eight straight games and they are just one victory shy of making the Sweet 16 for the 25th time in school history. The Jayhawks have captured 77 all-time wins in the NCAA Tournament, but they haven't claimed the title since 1988. Kansas owns a perfect 3-0 mark in the head-to-head series with UNLV, and that includes a 78-50 victory in the most recent meeting in the 1998 Tip-Off Classic.

The Rebels held Kent State to just five first-half field goals and took a commanding 31-10 lead at the break, en route to a 71-58 victory on Thursday. UNLV, which shot 50.9 percent from the field and forced 20 turnovers in the game, tied an NCAA Tournament record by allowing just 10 points in the opening half. Joe Darger nailed 4-of-8 three-pointers and he finished with 18 points in the triumph. Wink Adams turned in 17 points and six rebounds, while Rene Rougeau notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. For the season, Adams tops the roster in scoring at 16.6 ppg and he is also grabbing 4.0 rpg and dishing out 3.1 apg. Darger is next in line with 11.4 ppg and he collects 4.6 rpg, while Curtis Terry adds 11.1 ppg and a team-best 5.0 apg to the mix. Rougeau puts forth a team-high 6.2 rpg for the Rebels, who are scoring 70.1 ppg and holding their opponents to just 61.9 ppg for the season.

The Jayhawks knocked down 54.1 percent of their shots from the field and 12- of-25 from long range, as they coasted past Portland State on Thursday. The team also won the battle on the boards, 38-31, and that wasn't a big surprise considering Kansas is outrebounding its opponents by 7.8 rpg for the season. Brandon Rush led the charge with 18 points and six rebounds, while Darrell Arthur posted 17 points and seven boards. Mario Chalmers recorded 16 points and three steals, and Darnell Jackson chipped in 10 points in the winning cause. For the season, Arthur paces the Jayhawks in scoring with 13.2 ppg and he is also snaring 6.2 rpg. Rush contributes 13.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg and he is dangerous from three-point range, hitting on 43.5 percent of his tries. Chalmers tops the roster with 4.6 apg and 83 steals and he chips in with 12.5 ppg on the strength of 48.1 percent shooting from long distance. Jackson, the team's leading rebounder at 6.7 rpg, rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.6 ppg. Overall, Kansas is outscoring its opponents by 20.0 ppg, in addition to shooting 50.6 percent from the field compared to just 38.2 percent by its foes.

Neither team was really challenged in its first round game, but don't expect that to be true in this bout. Kansas though, is simply the more talented team from top-to-bottom and it should be able to control the game and advance past the Rebels this evening.

Predicted Outcome

Kansas 77, UNLV 67