Fullerton’s Tre’ Coggins returns to familiar setting, hopes to shoot down UNLV

Tre’ Coggins knows what it’s like to go to the Thomas & Mack Center and shoot his team to victory over UNLV.

He did it in January 2014, making 4 of 8 3-pointers and scoring 20 points to lead Air Force to a 75-68 victory.

And now he’s back, this time with Cal State Fullerton, where Coggins is making it a regular practice to try to shoot his team to victory. UNLV faces Coggins and the Titans at 7 p.m. Saturday at the T&M.

“It’s nice and great to have an opportunity to return to this arena,” Coggins said. “Played a few games here, and I’m excited for the opportunity to do it again.”

Rebels sophomore guard Kris Clyburn might not play. He suffered a hip pointer in Wednesday’s 74-62 victory over UC Riverside, and UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said Clyburn’s status is uncertain.

This is a preliminary-round game in the Global Sports Classic. Washington beat Fullerton 104-88 on Thursday in Seattle in another GSC game.

The Rebels (1-1) play three GSC games next week, all at the Thomas & Mack, facing Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Texas Christian on Friday and either Washington or Western Kentucky on Nov. 26.

Washington handled its business in handing the Titans (2-1) their first loss, but Coggins still managed 23 points. He is averaging 27.0 so far, including a 31-point performance in a 106-100 double-overtime victory over Portland State on Sunday. Coggins shot 8 of 18 from the 3-point arc.

The 6-foot-2-inch senior guard did much the same two seasons ago at Air Force. Coggins averaged 16.0 points and was named to the All-Mountain West third team.

“He’s a very capable scorer,” Menzies said. “Athletic, quick, just a really good guard. He can shoot the ball as well as bounce it. He’s a heady little tough defender as well.”

Coggins transferred to Fullerton when he reportedly decided he didn’t want to commit to the five years of military service past graduation that the academy requires. He sat out the 2014-15 season under NCAA transfer rules, then last year at Fullerton averaged 15.6 points, fifth highest in the Big West Conference. Coggins also made 75 3-pointers.

“I think his experience is something that we have to look forward to,” Titans coach Dedrique Taylor said. “He’s been really good in terms of his demeanor, his maturity. He’s been very good for us, obviously the scoring. That’s what he does. He can shoot the ball, and he can shoot it from range.

“So we’re excited about what he’s done for us up to this point, and hopefully he’ll continue to help us carry the load from a scoring standpoint.”

The challenge for opposing coaches is whether to commit their defensive resources to going after Coggins and make the rest of the Titans beat them, or concentrate on stopping the supporting players, figuring one man can’t win by himself.

Menzies said it’s important to “limit” what Coggins can do, and he especially wants the Rebels to keep him off the 3-point arc.

“You want to give the guys a two-point shot that are tough to make,” Menzies said. “That’s really what it is.”

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.