Rebels need more from inconsistent Bellfield

CHICAGO — Dave Rice was pointing out this week those traits he covets most in a point guard. Nothing fancy. Nothing uncommon in the world of college basketball.

The usual stuff. Pass first. Make plays for others. Push the ball when opportunity allows and even when it doesn't.

Push the ball to the point that it makes you uncomfortable.

Oscar Bellfield is a senior at UNLV who possesses such qualities, who on any given evening can be the best player on a court.

He can also struggle with the best of them.

He has proven as much this season.

The Rebels are back in Big Ten Conference land today, one week after playing about as poorly as they could in losing at Wisconsin. The opponent today is No. 19 Illinois, undefeated after 10 games and the team that eliminated UNLV from the NCAA Tournament in March.

Illinois isn't as good as the side that handled the Rebels 73-62 in the first round in Tulsa, Okla., but has one of the nation's most underrated backcourts in D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul.

UNLV needs to match the Fighting Illini at the guard spot to have any chance today at the United Center, which means Bellfield needs to play well, which is hardly a given.

You can't look at recent offenses coached by Rice and make a correlation between their point guard and Bellfield. Jimmer Fredette was that unique.

He was always going to take the most shots for Brigham Young, but that doesn't mean Bellfield doing the same at UNLV is best. Bellfield ranks second in attempts (116) to forward Mike Moser (135) this season but is making just 41 percent.

There is also this: Bellfield has attempted only nine free throws in 12 games, meaning he isn't getting to the rim at all. He's a jump shooter as a point guard, and when you embrace that role, 41 percent isn't good enough.

"Oscar has earned the right to be out there, even when he has an off day," Rice said. "I have a lot of confidence in him. Having coached against him for three years and now coaching him for 12 games, I have confidence he's going to play well every game."

Bellfield hasn't, and there was perhaps no lower point in his career than at Wisconsin, where he made 3 of 12 shots in 34 minutes and finished with as many turnovers (three) as assists. He, like most of his teammates, was lost from the opening tip.

Bellfield and junior Anthony Marshall have been interchangeable at both guard spots, but that will change next week with Marquette transfer Reggie Smith set to become eligible. Bellfield averages a team-high 32.2 minutes, although Smith's presence at point guard will cut into that.

It's probably more a good thing than not.

"There is no substitute for competition," Rice said. "Oscar took the loss (at Wisconsin) really hard and took ownership that a lot of it was his fault, which isn't fair but what you would expect from a senior captain who has won a lot of games.

"All (the guards) will have to fight for minutes, and I have full confidence Oscar will do so. He's our starter. The only thing that will change for him when (Smith becomes eligible) is that he will play fewer minutes."

I don't buy into college players in the 32-minute range having played too much over 12 games, but one who over-dribbles at times and struggles with his shot can always use more breaks. Bellfield has done both a lot recently.

Smith will allow Bellfield to play off the ball more, which is only a good thing if the latter can become more efficient offensively. He has led the Rebels in assists in each of his three previous seasons and does so again now.

Bellfield has been in big games and will make his 101st career start today.

He just hasn't been consistently good this season, is all.

"I always take the (approach) of just getting back to practice and not worrying about things too much and focusing on the next game," Bellfield said. "The (Wisconsin) game is something to learn from. There are going to be ups and downs. I just have to keep pushing the ball, keep trying to improve and whatever happens happens."

The last time UNLV played in the United Center was 2007, when a senior point guard went for 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists in leading the Rebels past Wisconsin and into the Sweet 16.

Bellfield doesn't need to be Kevin Kruger for the Rebels to win today.

He just needs to be a better version of Oscar Bellfield.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday on "Monsters of the Midday," Fox Sports Radio 920 AM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.