3 things to watch as UNLV begins its basketball season

Conspicuously absent from the basketball court inside the Thomas & Mack Center is the gray silhouette of the Strip that emblazoned the hardwood for so many years.

A new playing surface for a new basketball season — and with it a new outlook for UNLV.

“Things are changing for the better,” coach Kevin Kruger said Tuesday over the sound of bouncing basketballs and friendly banter between players.

“We’re trying to take those steps forward, and the court is kind of one example of how you’re seeing that.”

The Rebels can take another step forward Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack by winning their season opener against Southern University. It’s their most talented team under Kruger, who is 37-27 in his first two seasons.

The goal: To qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.

Here are three things to watch for Wednesday and beyond:

1. Poise — and pace — at the point

Standout freshman guard Dedan Thomas Jr. gives UNLV for the first time under Kruger a tried and true floor general who hunts — and consistently creates — open shots for his teammates. That he’s insulated in the prospective starting lineup by senior guard Justin Webster, wings Luis Rodriguez and Jalen Hill, and big man Kalib Boone after the end of his one-game suspension alleviates any burden Thomas might feel to force his offense.

He brings with him from Liberty to UNLV a precocious feel for the proper pace of play.

Said Rodriguez of Thomas: “He’s a great point guard with IQ. He likes to play fast, which is kind of what we want to do.”

As nifty in the halfcourt as he in transition, Thomas can also defer to Hill, Rodriguez, junior point guard Jackie Johnson III and freshman combo Brooklyn Hicks, who can all create offense when they have the ball — and with it the balance Kruger seeks.

“This is a very unselfish team. They share it extremely well, almost to a fault sometimes,” Kruger said. “We expect them to do what they need to do to get the best shot available.”

2. Let’s get physical

The Rebels ranked last in the Mountain West last season in rebounding rate (47.3 percent of the available rebounds). But with their collective age and experience is an inherent physicality that should help them define their defensive identity.

Hill (6 feet 6 inches, 230 pounds) and Rodriguez (6-6, 220) are sturdy and switchable on the wing, while Boone (6-9, 215) is active and aggressive in the paint. Behind him in the frontcourt is fourth-year sophomore center Isaiah Cottrell (6-11, 240) and senior center Karl Jones (6-10, 260).

Also in the rotation are juniors Rob Whaley Jr., a bruising 6-7, 260-pound forward, and Shane Nowell, another switchable 6-6, 220-pound wing.

“This is a group where their competitiveness, their drive, will be seen throughout the year,” Kruger said. “This group has a great opportunity to be a very, very good defensive team.”

3. Situational struggles — or successes?

The Rebels were 3-6 in games decided by five points or fewer last season. They shouldn’t be in one Wednesday as 19½-point favorites, though they probably will play several close games.

The addition of Thomas coupled with their experience should improve their prospects in similar situations.

“We tried as much as you can in practice to put guys in situations. … Hopefully there’s some comfort,” Kruger said. “They’re impossible to replicate in practice, but you just try to as much as you can. Having a veteran group also helps with that because they’ve been through it before. It just wasn’t here.”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.