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Former UNLV coach Dave Rice finds safe haven in Reno

RENO — Dave Rice wanted to work, to be around young minds, to collaborate on a staff, to do the thing he loves most.

He didn’t want a break from coaching, but rather to continue waking up in the morning with the challenge of helping make players better on and off the court.

As a special legislative session to consider public financing for a $1.9 billion domed stadium that could bring Las Vegas an NFL franchise sets to reconvene Thursday morning in Carson City, a former UNLV basketball player and head coach prepares for his first season as an assistant at the rising program that is UNR.

Rice was fired by UNLV during his fifth season in January, three games into the Mountain West schedule, a senseless decision by the university in terms of timing and one that led to months of national jokes being aimed at the Rebels as they stumbled around searching for a new coach.

Rice spent the next few months visiting other programs, attending practices and games at places such as Indiana and Brigham Young and San Diego State and New Mexico and Arizona and, yes, UNR.

Coaches have a hard time sitting still.

The game draws them.

When the call came from Wolf Pack coach Eric Musselman about Rice possibly joining his staff, too much made sense, professionally and personally, not to listen.

Musselman is a terrific teacher with a deep resume that includes NBA head coaching experience. In its first season under him last year, UNR went from a nine-win team in 2014-15 to a 24-14 side that won the College Basketball Invitational Championship.

But more than that, the proximity to Las Vegas raised Rice’s interest.

His eldest son, Travis, is set to begin his freshman season at Northern Arizona. Mindy Rice has remained in Las Vegas with the couple’s other son, Dylan, so that he can finish the eighth grade.

“Thank goodness for Southwest Airlines,” Rice said. “Family always comes first. This was also a great opportunity to get back to work. I have never in my career thought about the next step. I’ve always gotten out of bed each day and totally immersed myself in giving everything I had to the program I was with, to try and get better.

“We have some very special things happening here. I loved my time as a head coach, and I think I will be a head coach again, but I’m going to do whatever I can to make a difference here. I’m tremendously impressed with how Coach Musselman has built this program in such a short period of time. I look forward to learning from him.”

He shouldn’t have issues moving back one chair to that of an assistant, given this will be Rice’s 19th season at various stops in such a role. His presence also should offer balance to the fiery and intense Musselman, a sort of calm to the storm that UNR’s coach can often produce.

The Wolf Pack are good now and could be really good come March, picked second to San Diego State in the conference’s preseason media poll Wednesday and featuring one of the league’s best players in sophomore forward Cameron Oliver.

The school also just announced plans for a new practice facility.

Rising is right.

“Coach Rice’s philosophy along with his X’s and O’s knowledge of the game are outstanding,” Musselman said. “He is a proven recruiter at the national level. Anyone who has sat in the head coach’s chair and has been so successful at the collegiate level is going to be a great addition to our staff.”

Said UNR senior guard D.J. Fenner: “Coach Rice is part of the family now. He’s going to help our ballclub so much. If he talks, everybody is quiet because it’s rare that he gets angry, so if he does, we’re like, ‘OK, we’ve really got to be paying attention.’ You can’t BS with this guy.”

Rice has, more than anything else, put on his blinders and continued to take one step forward, now entrenched in the staff of UNLV’s biggest rival, which shouldn’t in any way bring contempt from those cheering the Rebels.

Remember, they fired him. He absolutely had the right to work for whomever he chose.

Time passes, however, and the good memories often rise to the surface of one’s recollections. The fact UNLV made a change at coach last season wasn’t necessarily wrong, especially if the Rebels were going to miss the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. You can’t keep coming up short at UNLV in March.

The timing was just foolish.

“There is no substitute for experience, and I am certain my time there will make me a much better head coach when the opportunity comes again,” Rice said. “I will always appreciate (former UNLV athletic director) Jim Livengood for giving me the opportunity of my first head coaching job. I’m proud of what we did on the court. I’m proud in my last full season, we had an (Academic Progress Rate) of 1,000. I’m proud that every senior we had during my time there went through graduation.

“I’m proud of the guys who have made the NBA and the guys playing overseas and the guys who are now back in their communities helping others. We made a difference there in the lives of a lot of young people beyond just basketball.”

Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Twitter: @edgraney

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