Rebels ragged in win over Whittier — PHOTOS
After an abnormally long delay, Dave Rice walked into the press room without his sport coat but wearing a scowl. The UNLV basketball coach was not pleased with much he had just witnessed.
Rice explained his concerns before saying, "I don't want this to seem like it's all negative."
He singled out freshman forward Derrick Jones Jr. as a "major positive," and that much was clear for everyone in the Thomas & Mack Center to see Friday night.
Jones scored 20 points in the Rebels' 94-57 victory over Whittier College in an exhibition that turned ragged for the home team in the second half, and that's why Rice had some extra words for his players in the locker room.
"We had a few defensive rebounding issues and turnover issues in the second half to discuss as a team," Rice said. "We've got to have a sense of urgency. We're trying to be a great team. We've got a tough game coming up and a very difficult schedule."
The Rebels open the regular season against Cal Poly on Nov. 13. UCLA, Oregon, Wichita State, Arizona State and Arizona also await on the nonconference schedule.
Whittier, which competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III, was more competitive than expected partly because UNLV was sloppy on both ends of the floor.
The Rebels committed 12 of their 18 turnovers after halftime and allowed the Poets to fight within 70-50 with six minutes remaining.
"We were trying to hit too many home run plays," Rice said.
Whittier was doing some of the little things better, too. The Poets, anchored on the front line by 6-foot-6-inch center Ben Maynard and 6-5 Jake Moore, grabbed 17 offensive rebounds.
Jerome Seagears, UNLV's senior point guard, did not sound as concerned as his coach.
"It's going to come with time," Seagears said. "These games are always hard to play because you kind of play down to the level of competition. They played like it was their Super Bowl."
Sophomore guard Jordan Cornish offered a harsher critique and graded the Rebels performance as a "D or D-plus" while shaking his head.
"I thought we could play better," Cornish said. "We obviously have work to do."
In a half-filled arena — the announced attendance of 10,232 was nowhere near reality — it was a good night under the lights for UNLV's freshmen. Jones shot 7-for-10 from the field, and 7-foot Stephen Zimmerman Jr. totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds.
"Derrick Jones is like Shawn Marion," Rice said of the former Rebels star and retired NBA player. "He makes big plays. He gets his opportunities within the flow of the offense. He never comes to the bench and cries for us to call a play for him."
Jones was scrappy around the basket and seemingly always around the ball. He had four rebounds, four steals and hit all six of his free throws in 21 minutes off the bench.
"He's a special player, a special athlete," Cornish said. "He does all the extra things."
Senior guard Ike Nwamu hit three 3-pointers to propel UNLV to a 53-27 halftime lead. Nwamu finished with 12 points. The Rebels shot 21 of 36 (58.3 percent) in the first half.
Seagears, a transfer from Rutgers who redshirted last season, had 11 points and seven assists. Sophomore guard Patrick McCaw had nine points and four steals.
On the positive side, UNLV made 20 of 26 free throws in a 37-point blowout.
But Whittier was without two of its best players. So when Rice said he was "disappointed," and he had plenty of reasons.
* NOTES — Junior forward Ben Carter sat out after suffering a concussion during the Rebels' scrimmage at Southern California on Oct. 31. Carter is expected to be cleared to practice early next week. ... UNLV avenged a loss in its only other meeting with Whittier in 1962, when the Poets beat the Rebels 72-68 in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247
