UNLV defense to be challenge by Oakland’s Xavier Hill-Mais

UNLV has mostly done the job defensively the first two games, owning the inside against opponents that did not present intimidating post games.

Now the Rebels will be challenged in the frontcourt, with Oakland forward Xavier Hill-Mais a formidable concern for UNLV big men Shakur Juiston and Mbacke Diong.

Hill-Mais leads the Golden Grizzlies (0-2) of suburban Detroit into the Thomas &Mack Center to face UNLV (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.

The game will be streamed on unlvrebels.com.

He was the Horizon League player of the week after averaging 23.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games.

“They’ve got a very capable player in Mais, who can also step out and shoot it a little bit,” UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said. “He’s got a great knack for scoring, about 6-8, 240 (pounds), strong, tough, physical, a post presence that they utilize in their offense a lot.

”I think we’ll have an opportunity to try to defend the post more than we have in the past. It’s mostly been guard-heavy teams the last two games.”

UNLV’s defense has been solid through the first two games, the one glaring bad stretch a 43-point second half by Loyola Marymount in a 61-50 loss on Saturday. The Rebels allowed 18 points in the first half before the momentum turned. But they bounced back from that disappointing final 20 minutes and held UC Riverside to 51 points in Tuesday’s 21-point victory.

Those two opponents combined to shoot 38.9 percent and were outrebounded by the Rebels by an average of eight boards.

“It was an effort in the offseason,” Menzies said of the defense. “It’s early yet, so I’m not sure I can say it’s really taken its toll. That’s because we don’t have a large enough sample size. But I do feel like we’re heading in the right direction in terms of taking pride and getting stops and making that more of an effort.

”They still need to be more consistent and staying within the principles that we have put in, but we’re heading in the right direction.”

UNLV faces an opponent in Oakland that likes to push the pace and shoot 3-pointers. The Grizzlies scored 86 points in a 1-point loss to Toledo and 77 in an eight-point overtime defeat to Western Michigan.

It’s a style that Greg Kampe has created over his 35 seasons at the school. He has conducted clinics on his run-at-every-opportunity offense.

So that history provides some familiarity for UNLV in its game planning.

“He does have new personnel, which I think will create some challenges for us,” Menzies said.

Menzies said freshman guard Trey Woodbury, who has not played because of a knee injury, has been cleared to practice. But Woodbury is trying to work his way into game shape, so whether he plays against the Grizzlies remains to be seen.

“I think it might depend a little bit how he’s feeling on game day, in addition to the score and situation,” Menzies said.

More Rebels: Follow online at reviewjournal.com/Rebels and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.