Rebels treat dry run like real thing

Pointing to his swollen left ankle, UNLV sophomore Chace Stanback said it will be "probably another week or two" before he can cut loose and play at game speed.

The Rebels unofficially open their basketball season today, and the good news for Stanback is he can play at less than full speed and the outcome does not count.

UNLV is at Long Beach State for a closed scrimmage set to tip at about 11 a.m.

"We get to see where we're at as a team," Stanback said. "We're going to treat this like it's a game. We've got to go hard and we can't let up. We've got to take everything seriously."

Stanback was sidelined by the ankle sprain in mid-October and missed the first two weeks of practice. He was back on the floor this week and trying to make up for lost time.

A 6-foot-8-inch swingman, Stanback redshirted last season after transferring from UCLA. He was expected to step into the starting lineup and provide scoring punch, but the injury might keep him out of the starting five at least temporarily.

"I feel a lot better. It seems to be getting better every day," he said of the ankle. "I did fall behind a little bit, but I'm picking it back up. My teammates are helping me out with the plays to make sure I don't miss anything.

"I think I'm ready to start, but if I have to come off the bench I don't have a problem with it. It's all up to the coaches."

UNLV's only exhibition is against Washburn (Kan.) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Thomas & Mack Center. The regular-season opener is Nov. 14 against Pittsburg State.

The NCAA allows teams to schedule two exhibitions, but Rebels coach Lon Kruger has preferred one exhibition and one scrimmage.

UNLV scrimmaged Arizona State in 2006 and 2008 and Pepperdine in 2007, all three times on the road.

"It gives us a little bit of a road trip simulation," Kruger said.

The team took a bus to California on Friday and went through the normal road routine of dinner and a team meeting the night before the scrimmage.

Kruger schedules a scrimmage because the Rebels can get tested by a higher-quality opponent and the rules are flexible. UNLV and Long Beach State plan to play two 20-minute halves, then possibly an additional period if the coaches agree.

"There's a lot of positives to it. We feel like it has been a good thing for us," Rebels assistant coach Steve Henson said. "It's a little different than a regular game, but there's a road-game feel to it. We can get some guys playing plenty of minutes."

Long Beach State, coached by Dan Monson, is picked to win the Big West Conference. The 49ers finished 15-15 last season and are led by 6-6 sophomore swingman Larry Anderson.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.