UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger, left, joins guard Wink Adams for a news conference Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Photo by Samantha Clemens.

It's a good thing UNLV doesn't play again in the NCAA Tournament until Friday. If the Rebels had to go today, coach Lon Kruger might have to put a much different lineup on the floor than he's used to.

The banged-up Rebels were moving rather slowly Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Wink Adams' bruised tailbone is still very sore. So is Kevin Kruger's right ankle. Wendell White's ribs are doing better, but he's still far from 100 percent.

The ailing trio found itself with company as starting center Gaston Essengue contracted flulike symptoms on the flight home from Chicago on Sunday after the team's 74-68 victory over Wisconsin. Essengue was limited to bed rest Monday, and he might not practice today as the seventh-seeded Rebels begin their preparations for Friday night's Midwest Regional semifinal game against third-seeded Oregon at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

As his team returns to the practice floor, Lon Kruger knows he has to be very careful in preparing his team for the Ducks.

"The most important thing is to be ready (Friday)," the coach said. "We'll monitor everyone closely and make sure we don't aggravate anything."

The injured players said there's no way they're missing the game and they won't take any unnecessary risks in preparing for it.

"One thing this season was I didn't want to sit out," said White, who missed nearly half of his sophomore season in junior college after breaking his foot. "As long as it's not broken, I'm playing."

White's ribs were bruised when he caught an elbow in the opening-round win over Georgia Tech last Friday. He took Vicodin, a painkiller, on Saturday, then wore a protective flak jacket Sunday against Wisconsin.

"I had to do it for the team," said White, who also was hit in his once-broken jaw Sunday but suffered no ill effects. "I can play through the pain. They call me 'The Bull' for a reason."

Kevin Kruger is proving to be just as tough. He turned his right ankle while landing on a Wisconsin player's foot in the second half after making a 3-point field goal. And while the pain was throbbing, Kruger played through it and his four 3-pointers against the Badgers were a major factor in UNLV's win.

"I thought we had another injury," the senior point guard said of his first thoughts after he landed awkwardly. "But the pain subsided and I played through it."

Adams tried to play through his pain after getting decked by Wisconsin's Greg Stiemsma with 11:23 left in the second half. But after he returned to the floor and was unable to give his full effort, he watched the remainder of the game from the bench as Curtis Terry came through with two key baskets down the stretch.

"I was scared and angry," Adams said. "I knew my team needed me and I tried to come back. But if I had stayed out there, I would have been hurting the team. Coach did the right thing putting Curtis out there. He did a great job. Curtis is going to be calm, no matter what the situation is."

Adams said between stretching, therapy and rest, he should be close to 100 percent Friday. Same for Kevin Kruger and White.

"It's just a muscle bruise," Adams said. "If I had to get injured, this is the perfect time. We don't play until late Friday, so the extra day will definitely help."

Said Kevin Kruger: "It's still a little sore, but Friday's a long time. I'll keep getting treatment and I'll tape it up real good. I'll be fine."

Said White: "I was able to sleep on my side last night (Sunday). That was a good sign because I couldn't have turned over in bed the night before."