MCL Sprain for DJAS

I first heard the news last night during the BYU at New Mexico telecast on the Mtn. where they stated that DJas is out 5 weeks. (http://unlvrebels.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012710aaa.html). That basically puts him back around conference tournament time. Like we said in our previous post, people need to step up - especially Kendo.

Also, lately there has been a lot of hating on Chop Jones. I appreciated the comments made by Kevin Kruger on ESPN 1100 last night. Chop hustles his tail off and only averages around 11 minutes a game. I don't mind Chop in the game at all because you know what you are going to get. He'll play his tail off on D and won't turn the ball over. My only issue is when we put Kendo, Chop and Marshall on the floor together. It seems to me that this is when we have a real hard time scoring and when the opposition makes a lot of runs. Just my opinion though. I'm sure Kruger has his reasons. Hard to question a man that the Atlanta Hawks paid millions to for his basketball knowledge.

Later,

D

Jasper out for season?

You might think based on the title of this post that it would be about Derrick Jasper. And ok, we still don't know anything about Jasper's injury, but I tend to prepare for the worst. My heart did in fact stop for a split second last night as I sat in the third row, near the UNLV bench, when Jasper went down and grabbed his left knee - the same knee he had surgery on just a short while ago. I watched and listened as Matt Shaw came out of the game a few minutes later and asked if Derrick was ok. Derrick's response: "no." Although I am still unaware of any news about the MRI that Kruger said would take place this morning, the fact of the matter is this: Kendall Wallace has to STEP UP. He did last night.

I'll be honest. I haven't been a big Kendall Wallace fan the last two seasons. I've seen very little that impresses me and other than the recent New Mexico game it is my contention that "Kendo" only has good games against relatively poor competition. It is also my contention that Kendo doesn't really help the Rebs if he isn't making shots.

This is why I say he needs to STEP UP. If Jasper is out we need Kendo to do more. He HAS to make 3 to 4 three's a game to contribute. Now I know that Jasper isn't scoring a ton, but he provides a LOT on the floor when he is in. Jasper averages 5 rebounds a game, has 3 times as many steals, and more than 3 times as many assists as Kendo. Jasper is taller, can jump higher, and provides a calming influence on the floor. Jasper is also a much better defender.

All I'm asking Kendo to do is make shots. He can't have a period of 2-19 (or so) like he did the last two games until he hit 4 straight last night against Air Force. He was 4-10 last night from 3. I'll take that from Kendo. But it needs to be a nightly occurrence. At least 4-10. He is currently shooting under 40% from behind the arc. He needs to be at around 42% for the season by its end. I also liked his freshman year when he would head fake, take a few dribbles and dump off to the big inside. Please Kendo, no more fade-away three's, or turn around j's in traffic for airballs (See BYU game and Kendo's first shot). MAKE SHOTS. It's your job....Please....

I also believe that Kendo does need to relax. When he misses a 3 he gets pretty upset. Now I don't know the kid but in my personal experience it seems like he is putting too much pressure on himself to make the shot. Almost like he is living and dieing with every 3 that goes up. Dude, just let it go. If he has more UNM games in him we need them now...

The only other way I see our season saved - and I mean a run in the NCAA tourney - is if Tre' plays every week like he did the last few. If he plays like he is POY in the MWC and outplays Jimmer - we have a shot.

Of course all of this could be irrelevant if Jasper's injury is minor. But either way, Kendo needs to make shots. Or do we have to get Mike Rose some more eligibility and convince Leavitt Insurance to let him play for the Rebels for a season or two?

Later,

D

BYU Hype

I don't know about you but personally I am tired of all the BYU hype. Today, Pat Forde of ESPN listed BYU as one of the 11 teams that could win the NCAA tourney (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4858570). This is extremely laughable to me. Considering BYU hasn't won an NCAA tourney game since 1993 how are they going to be the 11th possible team to win an NCAA tourney game? Here is what Forde says:

BYU (11). Why the Cougars can win it: Impressively efficient offensive team that shoots extremely well from the field (55 percent from 2-point range, 41 percent from 3) and phenomenally from the foul line (77.4 percent, best in the nation). They take care of the ball, too, and play better-than-suspected defense. Guard Jimmer Fredette might be the most underrated player in the country. (You'll read more about him below.) They've already played 10 road or neutral-site games, winning nine of them.

Why they might not: Can a school that hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 1993 suddenly jump up and win six? Doubtful.

Record against RPI top 50: 2-0.

Record against RPI top 100: 8-1.

It is my personal opinion that the MWC gets less love than it deserves. However, the MWC hasn't done much to prove it deserves better. Since its inception the MWC only has 3 NCAA tourney wins. 2 of those are UNLV's with its sweet 16 run a few years back. And while I wish the NCAA would give the MWC better seeding (because it is deserved), I think Forde is off his rocker to think that BYU could win it all. I would be surprised if they won a tournament game this year again. Their strength of schedule is in the 120's - something I think Dave Rose does on purpose. I've never been impressed with his sos. However, they did beat UNLV this season and play a tough game at the PIT tomorrow night in Albuquerque.

Congrats to Tre' for winning MWC player of the week. He is tearing up the league right now. TCU's coach said Tre' is the best player they've seen all season. It will be interesting to see what coach says after he plays Jimmer. These two are clearly the best in the league and I think you can make an argument for either one - though I'll lean towards Tre'.

Later,

D

Rebel Nation Pilot

Welcome to the initial install of the Rebel Nation. My good friend (and avid Rebel fan) and I came up with this idea on a whim. Quite frankly I'm sure there are numerous blogs and websites dedicated to UNLV basketball, including message boards. We fully support the use of such media to discuss all things Rebels. However, my love affair is, and has always been, with UNLV hoops. As such, this site will be dedicated to the promotion of UNLV hoops.

My friend and I discuss Rebel hoops so much that we may as well put it in a blog. Whether we get followers or contributors is not the point. This medium will give us the opportunity to discuss our joys and pains of Rebel hoops in the open - somewhat. We welcome all comments and contributions. Hopefully this can be a productive blog with lots of inside information.

I have to start by saying that every time I see "hey reb" I still get taken back to around 1986 (someone please correct me if I'm wrong on the date) when I would beg my dad to take me to McDonalds every day so I could get a double cheeseburger and along with the double cheeseburger promotion you received a Runnin Rebels bumper sticker. I'll bet between my uncle and I we had 20 of those stickers. I wish I still had one, just to pin on my garage wall as a reminder of my youth and the players I remember from back then: Armon, Mark Wade, Fearless Freddy. These are the guys that ignited my love for all things college basketball.

Shoot, I even got George Dare's autograph in 4th grade when he came to CC Ronnow to play "Runnin Rebel Fever" live for our elementary school. I'm sure my parents threw away the black and white glamour shots signed picture of George Dare soon thereafter.

I still get chills and want to bounce around like LeBron when I enter the Mack. Especially when I have good seats and get to enter through the North Tunnel. I get upset when I miss pre-game warmups. I want to see how our guys and the other team is warming up. I can usually tell who is focused and who isn't. Perfect example was this very season when Louisville came to town. Samardo Samuels was lackluster in warmups. He wasn't even trying to make his layups. I almost leaned over to my brother and said he wouldn't have a good game. Wouldn't you know it, he missed a few bunnies in the first half and didn't have a great game.

I also love sitting in the lower bowl because I can hear the players talk. I played college basketball myself at the Division I level (read: was part of the Club Tril ((CLUB TRILLION))) and I MISS being a part of that. I get those old feelings when I get to sit near the floor, hear them call out their plays, etc. I even coached a little in college. The reason I say this brings me to my ultimate and final point about why I wanted to create this blog: I want it to come from an educated basketball fan's perspective. I get tired of the people who call in to the post game show and complain about things that aren't really pertinent. I also get tired of less than knowledgeable fans (or maybe they are just drunk) at games when they try and call out their own plays or defenses. I have two perfect examples of this, and for some reason these experiences occur in the upper bowl a lot more than they do in the lower bowl.

First, last season against Cincinnati the idiot behind me kept screaming to pass the ball to Wink EVERY SINGLE TIME DOWN COURT. Dude! This isn't pick up ball at the park, or the AND 1 Tour - neither of which are really hoops at all in my opinion. This is Division 1 college hoops. The opposing team is prepared for you. They scout you. They know your tendencies. They've watched you on film all week long. They've rehearsed your plays. They've rehearsed your defenses, etc. He's probably the same guy who called into the post game show and said the reason we lost is because Wink didn't get the ball enough.

The second (but certainly not the remaining) example came during the Reno game this season. Every time down court this other idiot (different idiot from the first idiot) kept yelling at the top of his lungs to guard #5 (Luke Babbit - a good player, but still). Anyway, after just 5 minutes this got a little old. It occurred on every possession. I was at about my breaking point (read: time to sneak down to the lower bowl) anyway when the following happened. Babbit got fouled on a layup and went to the line for 2 shots. I thought this guy was literally going to give birth to George Dare when he kept screaming to get a hand in Babbit's face. "WHY ARE WE NOT GUARDING HIM!!!! GET A HAND IN HIS FACE!!!!" I just looked at my friend and we both muttered, "dude, he is shooting free throws." Yeah, I'd had enough at that point. We for sure snuck (sneaked?) down to the lower bowl immediately after that...where, I might add, the fans were definitely more knowledgeable.

The point being, Thunder (the nickname for my cohort on this blog) and I want this blog to be an intelligent dialogue on the Rebels. I'll praise the Rebels all day long, but I'll also be honest with my opinions of players and the way we are playing. If you don't like it, good! Leave a comment for the world to see. But please keep in mind that foul language and being un-civil will not be tolerated.

Go Rebs,

D