Team USA is set to begin training camp for the 2012 London Olympics at the Mendenhall Center, UNLV’s new state-of-the-art practice facility.

“We’re proud of our association with USA Basketball, both from a basketball standpoint and from a patriotic standpoint,” Runnin’ Rebels coach Dave Rice said. “We appreciate that they’re representing our country.”

The U.S. national team will train for six days and then play an exhibition game at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12, in the Thomas & Mack Center.

“It’s exciting for us to be able to say that USA Basketball is going to use our facilities,” Rice said. “Certainly, it’s helped our recruiting from a standpoint that Las Vegas has become such a central place for basketball.”

Anthony Bennett, the top-ranked power forward in the country, committed to the Rebels in May.