Another player walks out on Rebels

More often than he would prefer, UNLV coach Lon Kruger is waving a premature goodbye to players he recruited. But none of them is leaving school early for the NBA.

For the fourth time in six months, the Rebels' revolving door is swinging open. Redshirt freshman guard Troy Cage is the latest player on the way out.

But Kruger does not see a trend to the attrition in the program. "Everyone left for different reasons," he said.

Cage is transferring in search of more playing time, and he's parting on better terms than the three players -- Emmanuel Adeife, Lamar Roberson and Marcus Lawrence -- who left UNLV's team during the 2007-08 season.

"You would never think four guys would leave in one year, especially with the chemistry that we have on this team," said Rene Rougeau, who will be a senior next season.

"It's tough when you see guys leave. The bad guys kind of weed themselves out, but I don't think that about Troy."

Cage and Rougeau were planning to be roommates this summer, but those plans have changed. Cage recently informed his teammates of his decision.

"He was working hard and everything," Rougeau said. "I'm not happy at all about him leaving."

The 6-foot-5-inch Cage averaged 1.7 points and 5.5 minutes in 13 games last season.

Cage, from Baton Rouge, La., was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment. But he did not hear what he wanted when he addressed his future with Kruger.

"I understand that he's looking for more of an opportunity to play, and I respect that," Kruger said. "My honest objective was, and I told him, there's probably not as many minutes available as what he's looking for.

"It's not a perfect science. I probably would have said the same to Rene two years ago, too."

Rougeau joined the team as a walk-on and redshirted the 2004-05 season as a freshman. He started 27 games as a junior and helped lead the Rebels to a 27-8 record and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

There are hits and misses in recruiting. Rougeau has far exceeded the expectations for him, but Kruger has brought in a few players who developed into disappointments.

Adeife, a 6-10 junior center, was dismissed Nov. 10, the day after the season opener. Adeife was unhappy about his lack of playing time and argued with Kruger.

Roberson, a 6-8 sophomore forward, left the team Jan. 3, also because he wanted more playing time. Roberson averaged 3.8 points in 13 games.

Adeife and Roberson both started their college careers at Houston, and both left UNLV for Louisiana-Lafayette.

"With Lamar, it just seemed like people were in his ear or something," Rougeau said. "He felt like he should have been somewhere else where he could score. He was so good, though. When he first came here, I thought he was going to start.

"Everyone wants to be that go-to guy, but as a newcomer, you've got to know your role. (Adeife) wasn't really doing that."

Lawrence, a Bishop Gorman High School graduate, was dismissed Feb. 18, three days after he was in a one-vehicle accident and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

"Coach Kruger is not putting up with any crap, basically. Whatever he says goes," Rougeau said. "Who is going to start or who gets playing time, he gets the last word. All you can do is either get along or get out of here."

Cage, with a running vertical leap of 38 inches, was one of the Rebels' most athletic players. But he underwent left knee surgery Oct. 12, missed more than two months and never earned a spot in the rotation. UNLV's roster is deeper and more talented now than it was two years ago, and Cage was essentially squeezed out.

Adeife and Roberson proved to be poor fits for the program. Lawrence made mistakes off the court that forced his dismissal. Cage did everything right but meet his potential.

"I want what's best for Troy, and I think this is," Kruger said. "He's such a good kid, good student and good teammate. When we recruited him, of course, we recruited him with the expectation he was going to develop and play."

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