UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
Overall record: 18-15, 8-10 in the Mountain West
Head coach: Marvin Menzies
Tenure at Team Name: 1st Season
Career coaching record: 198-111
Home court: Thomas & Mack Center
Starters: G Jalen Poyser, G Uche Ofoegbu, G Kris Clyburn, F Dwayne Morgan, F Christian Jones
Bench: F Troy Baxter, G Zion Morgan, F Djordjije Slifivancanin, F Cheickna Dembele
Overview: UNLV began last season 7-1 with impressive wins against Oregon and Indiana. But from that point, the Runnin' Rebels have been in disarray. After losing fix of their next six games and falling to 0-3 in conference play, UNLV fired head coach Dave Rice. Under assistant coach Todd Simon, the Runnin' Rebels showed little improvement and were bounced in the second round of the Mountain West conference tournament.
But Rice's fire pales in comparison to the ripples UNLV's coaching search sent throughout the college basketball world this offseason. After setting their sights on Arkansas Little-Rock head coach Chris Beard and agreeing with Beard on an offer, the Runnin' Rebels were stunned by Beard's decision to immediately leave the program for an offer at Texas Tech.
Under Menzies, UNLV will look for stability on and off the court as the program loses most of its players from last year's team. Guard Patrick McCaw and forwards Stephen Zimmerman and Derrick Jones Jr. all left for the NBA Draft and with the graduation of the Runnin' Rebels' seniors, UNLV is left without its top seven scorers from a season ago.
The Runnin' Rebels will look to rebuild with graduate transfers Christian Jones and Uche Ofoegbu. The duo's leadership will be crucial as UNLV brings in six new freshmen to play beside them. If the Runnin' Rebels can navigate this season without any further bumps in the road, UNLV should be able to begin a likely long rebuild under Menzies.
The Runnin' Rebels will welcome Duke to the newly opened T-Mobile Arena Dec. 10.
One thing that needs to go right: UNLV plays an exciting up-tempo style of basketball and gets strong performances from its freshmen in Menzies' first year at the helm.
One thing that could go wrong: The Runnin' Rebels struggle to play consistent defense and have trouble developing a rhythm on offense due to the influx of newcomers.
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