Rebels better than Wyoming in Hold Your Breath Time

Hold Your Breath For The Final Five Minutes Time.

That’s how UNLV’s basketball team might be defined for much of the Mountain West portion of its schedule this season, how the Rebels will react when a game remains in question and the outcome will be determined by which side does more good than bad, more smart than silly, more clean than sloppy down the stretch.

It was that way Saturday, when the Rebels prepared to welcome 2017 by hosting one of the Mountain West’s more surprising teams from nonleague results in Wyoming, which is again launching more 3-pointers than anyone else in the conference.

Fortunately for UNLV, the Cowboys were as cold from distance as downtown Laramie.

The Rebels responded from a conference-opening loss Wednesday at Colorado State by beating Wyoming 81-75 before an announced crowd of 9,352 at the Thomas & Mack Center, where a New Year’s Eve afternoon game with the College Football Playoff on TV predictably drew about half that number.

What those who remained home didn’t see: A team in UNLV that, while hardly perfect at either end, made more winning plays when arriving at the critical juncture of five minutes remaining.

The Rebels led 66-63 at that point, and while the margin grew to eight before dwindling to two three times in the final 33 seconds, UNLV calmly made its final eight free-throw attempts to reach the win column in league.

“Holy smokes, that was fun, very enjoyable, and not just because we won,” UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said. “It was fun to coach (the players), to see them play together.

“The most important thing is, we played as a team, things you preach to them and see progress and their development. We play these games for wins, and they bought in and are actually absorbing some of the knowledge the whole staff is giving them. They did the right things in winning time.”

You never know with this UNLV team, whether someone is going to dribble into a double-team and turn the ball over or make an extra pass that results in an open 3. Whether someone is going to wave the red cape as part of a matador defense against the drive that leads to yet another opposing layup or step into a passing lane for a steal and coast-to-coast score.

You never know when it’s going to be more good than bad, more smart than silly.

It’s the sort of riddle that will remain unanswered for a team with such inconsistent play at point guard, meaning the more times UNLV can get a victory by producing more positive than negative in the final minutes of close games, the greater level of confidence it can create over the long term.

Group efforts are paramount for a team lacking in ability to beat anyone decent, so the fact UNLV had five players score in double figures and had a guard (Kris Clyburn) collect 13 rebounds made all the difference.

It helped that Wyoming was 5 of 26 on 3-pointers, partly because of UNLV’s emphasis on contesting at the line and partly because the Cowboys missed a whole bunch of open shots they usually make.

It really helped that Jason McManamen, who entered averaging 14.7 points for Wyoming, was limited to four on 1-of-7 shooting.

“It was more of a team effort,” said Rebels guard Jovan Mooring, who finished with 17 points and seven assists. “We stayed together, and that was lacking (at Colorado State). It wasn’t the first time we had to grind out a game. We knew it would be a challenge. It wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. But the biggest thing is, we communicated with each other.”

UNLV isn’t going to have many leisurely strolls around trees and swings any time soon no matter the opponent, but it did make strides between boarding a flight home from Colorado and hosting the Cowboys.

Mooring made four of those final eight free throws, and Clyburn, Christian Jones (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Jalen Poyser had key scores to keep Wyoming just far enough away during Hold Your Breath Time.

Menzies is an analogy sort of fellow, and his latest offering was comparing how his approach might play in a classroom, that a teacher doesn’t just show up and give a final exam the first week of school.

Students need to be educated; players need to develop.

UNLV did some of the latter Saturday and was rightly rewarded.

“Did we play better, did we improve?” Menzies said. “That’s what moves me, man. That’s what excites me. The guys are getting better, on the court, off it, in the classroom, in life, socially. That’s why I go into this business. That’s inspiring.”

And here I thought it was for the analogies.

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