UNLV dominates UC Riverside in season opener

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.

Marshall said that's the Rebels' plan this season -- pressure on one end leading to points on the other.

"We take every defensive possession as a challenge," he said, "and we want to get out and run and push the ball in transition."

UNLV used defense to shut down UC Riverside and roll to an 85-41 win in the season opener for both teams Friday night before 12,970 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Junior forward Chace Stanback combined with Marshall and Oscar Bellfield for 48 points to outscore the Highlanders. Stanback led the way with 17 points, Marshall had 16 and Bellfield 15.

"Our team showed a lot of toughness and discipline," said Stanback, who shot 7-for-12 from the field. "We've got to play like that every game."

But few opponents will be put away as easily as UC Riverside, a team with five new starters that was picked to finish last in the Big West Conference.

The Rebels led by 23 points at halftime and blew the game open with a 21-5 run over the first nine minutes of the second half. One of Bellfield's three 3-pointers put UNLV up 56-22 with 14:38 remaining.

"Riverside has got a better club than what it looked like," Rebels coach Lon Kruger said. "Our guys got on top early and just didn't back off."

The Highlanders, who missed 10 of their first 11 field goals after halftime, shot 15-for-67 (22.4 percent) for the game.

"Our defense was great," said senior guard Jasper, who pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds, nine on the defensive end. "We have a lot of versatile guys who can do a lot of things. A lot of guys contributed."

Sophomore guard Justin Hawkins led a wave of UNLV reserves with nine points, four rebounds and four steals.

Quintrell Thomas, a sophomore transfer from Kansas, debuted for the Rebels by starting in the post. He had eight points and five rebounds. Backup big men Carlos Lopez (five points, six rebounds, four blocked shots) and Brice Massamba (six points) also performed well.

Riverside, forced into 18 turnovers, had no player score in double figures, and guard Javon Borum shot 1-for-14. Tyquan Brown was the Highlanders' top player with six points and 11 rebounds.

The Rebels were without their leading scorer from last season, senior guard Tre'Von Willis, who was finishing a three-game suspension for offseason legal issues.

Kruger cleared his bench in the last four minutes, but he never inserted freshman Karam Mashour from Israel. Mashour could still play this season, but Kruger prefers to redshirt him.

"We still haven't decided what to do with Karam. It was totally on me tonight," Kruger said. "He wants to play.

"If he was my son, I definitely wouldn't play him because I don't see where his minutes are with the depth we have on the perimeter."

UNLV will get deeper at the guard positions if Willis returns Wednesday against Southeastern Louisiana, as expected.

Marshall motioned to the crowd after making an early 3-pointer -- matching his total made 3s from last season -- and Bellfield followed with a 3 to put the Rebels on top 22-12 with 11:22 left.

The Highlanders were put in a deeper hole after Stanback scored five straight points to stretch the margin to 33-16.

"It's human nature to stop playing as hard when you're up so much," Stanback said. "We just kept playing as hard as we could on defense and it worked in our favor."

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