5 things to watch this season for UNLV men’s basketball

Few things stayed constant for UNLV basketball between coach T.J. Otzelberger’s first and second years.

Transfers came in and out. A large freshmen class arrived. And, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the team to adapt its preparation as it gears up for its first game in November.

All that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The program returns three veterans in junior point guard Marvin Coleman, junior guard Bryce Hamilton and senior big man Mbacke Diong. Transfers who sat out last season are eligible to play. And the team has six scholarship freshmen who were added to represent the top-rated recruiting class in the Mountain West, according to 247 Sports.

“We’re making progress,” said Otzelberger, who noted this roster is as young as any he can remember. “At the same time, we think we’ve got some good leaders. Some veterans. Some guys who have done it. We’re going to need to follow their lead. And then some of those freshmen are going to need to step up early on and not play like freshmen.”

If some of those young players can add to the team’s depth, hope should be high for the Rebels. They were 17-15 and 12-6 in the Mountain West in Otzelberger’s first year and are projected to be the fifth-best team in the conference this season by KemPom.

Here are five things to watch for UNLV before college basketball starts Nov. 25:

1. How much will David Jenkins Jr. add?

One of the key’s to Otzelberger’s system is spreading the floor and making 3s.

Transfer David Jenkins Jr. should be able to help both areas. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbit followed Otzelberger to Las Vegas, and he’s eligible to play after sitting out last season because of NCAA rules.

Otzelberger called the junior an “elite” 3-point shooter off both the catch and dribble. Jenkins shot 45.3 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore, making 112 3s. The Rebels leading 3-point shooter last season, Amauri Hardy, made 63. No one on the team shot better than 34.5 percent from 3.

Jenkins’ range should not only help UNLV’s numbers from distance; it should open up the floor for his teammates.

“David’s a dynamic scorer,” Otzelberger said. “Big shots, big plays. He’ll give us somebody out there every night that opposing defenses are going to have to prepare for because he’s the kind of guy that can put points on the board in a hurry.”

2. Will Bryce Hamilton keep it up?

The Hamilton that finished last season was a lot different than the one who began it.

He started three of the Rebels’ 14 nonconference games, and shot 34.6 percent while averaging 3.9 rebounds.

Mountain West play was a completely different story. Hamilton averaged 20.9 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 50.3 percent. He was named to the Mountain West’s first team as a sophomore, and he has the potential to be on there again as a junior.

“We believe that he’s focused even more and knows teams are going to be more prepared for him and ready for him and that he’s going to have to bring it each night,” Otzelberger said. “He’s not going to sneak up on anybody this year. I know he’s up for the challenge.”

3. Who else could be part of the starting lineup?

If Coleman, Hamilton, Jenkins and Diong start, that leaves one spot open.

Otzelberger said “there’s a few guys in the mix” for a starting role, and he didn’t rule out potentially switching things up game to game. The key, he said, will be figuring out which five guys blend together best on the court and show chemistry.

If he opts for an experienced hand, there are a few transfers who could see playing time.

Sophomore forward Moses Wood, a transfer from Tulane, is 6 foot 8 inches and shot 37.3 percent from 3 as a freshman. Sophomore guard Caleb Grill, a transfer from Iowa State, is another new face, as is junior college forward Edoardo Del Cadia.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get as many practice reps with as many different options as we can,” Otzelberger said.

4. How much will the freshmen play?

Otzelberger started to put his stamp on the Rebels quickly with a massive first recruiting class.

Those players will play a large part in the future, but it remains to be seen how much say they’ll have in the present as well.

Two names to keep an eye on are wing Nick Blake and forward Devin Tillis. Blake, a 6-6 Las Vegas native, is the top-ranked recruit in the class and a natural scorer who can play on or off the ball. Tillis, 6-6, has a well-rounded skillset that could make him easier to fit in different types of lineups.

“We’re going to be counting on a few of those guys,” Otzelberger said.

5. What will the schedule look like?

UNLV will play this season. But exactly how many games they’ll get in and who they’ll be against is still up in the air.

Putting together a nonconference schedule became a lot more difficult thanks to COVID-19.

UNLV is scheduled to appear in the eight-team Maui Invitational (moved to Asheville, North Carolina) and play North Carolina on Nov. 30. The program hasn’t announced any additional nonconference games.

“We’ve tried to keep as many as the games we’ve had intact,” Otzelberger said. “At the same time, there’s been a lot of challenges in doing that. There’s financial ramifications, there’s travel safety. There’s a lot of scheduling variables, and there’s more being dished out every day.”

The Mountain West schedule could change, too. Each team is scheduled to play 18 conference games, but that number could grow to 20 because of the difficulties teams are having filling their schedules. CBS Sports and the San Diego Union-Tribune both reported Friday the Mountain West is considering expanding its schedule.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.