UNLV-Arkansas Battle Drew Best Regular-Season Ratings in 6 Years

The game Sunday between top-ranked UNLV and second-ranked Arkansas received the highest rating for a regular-season college basketball game in six years and more than doubled this year’s average.

The game, won by UNLV 112-105, received a 7.6 rating and a 21 share of the audience, higher than any game since SMU and North Carolina got an 8.6 on Jan. 12, 1985, according to A. C. Nielsen ratings made available today.

CBS spokeswoman Susan Kerr said the network’s season average for college basketball is 3.1. By comparison, its Sunday afternoon NFL games averaged about 14 this season.