UNLV Basketball
Running the fast break for UNLV, Anthony Marshall lobbed a pass to Derrick Jasper for a dunk. The play started with tough defense, the key to getting easy baskets.
You knew what kind of UNLV basketball opener it was going to be when the biggest question had nothing to do with the Rebels’ opponent, but rather whether a kid who has never played a minute of college ball would see action.
UNLV is a heavy favorite to win its first game against UC Riverside at 7:30 tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Highlanders, 12-17 last season, have five new starters and are picked to finish near the bottom of the Big West Conference.
UNLV junior forward Chace Stanback was benched for the first half Tuesday, forced to sit for not fulfilling his academic responsibilities over the summer. Stanback made up for lost time, scoring all of his 23 points in the second half to help the Rebels defeat Washburn 88-53 in an exhibition game at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Adjusting to a new school is one of many challenges facing Karam Mashour, who left his hometown of Nazareth, Israel, this year for unfamiliar surroundings in Las Vegas.
In his spare time, UNLV senior Mychal Martinez attends to his creative talents in art and music production. He plans on the latter turning into a career.
Quintrell Thomas had logged several minutes of basketball Tuesday evening when he raised his hand toward the UNLV bench. He was gassed and needed a break.
It was apparent at the end of last season that Anthony Marshall would be a major factor in UNLV’s future. At the beginning of this season, Justin Hawkins appears ready to make a similar statement.
Only the first 100 spectators attending Saturday’s “Rise ‘n’ Shine with the Lady Rebels” fanfest at Cox Pavilion were promised a free continental breakfast. But everyone went home with a powdered-sugar-and-milk mustache.