For his participation in Thursday’s Mountain West Tournament, Khem Birch was rewarded with an ice bath and some painkillers. The 6-foot-9-inch UNLV junior forward is fine with that. Because it means he has to prepare to play another basketball game. Rest? That can wait.
A week after being suspended from team, Bryce Dejean-Jones returned to score 22 points off the bench as UNLV held off a late charge to defeat Wyoming 71-67 in a Mountain West tournament quarterfinal at the Thomas & Mack Center.
In a tough spot, it always helps to have experience. Junior forward Roscoe Smith realizes the predicament — and opportunity — in front of UNLV. The Rebels must win three games in three days or there will be no NCAA Tournament trip at the end of a failed season.
A movie once was made on the idea that a mirror has two faces, that the relationship between mind and body can take different forms, that what we see on the outside might not necessarily be a person’s true character.
The Lady Rebels almost were crushed again. They withstood first- and second-half runs by San Jose State that almost ended their basketball season. But UNLV rallied to beat the Spartans 78-75 for its first conference tournament victory since 2009.
Birch has been one of the nation’s top shot blockers this season, and for the second consecutive season, UNLV’s 6-foot-9-inch junior forward was named the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the year.
hope Khem Birch listens to the right people. I hope he takes his time and clearly examines his options and understands the NBA will not suddenly disappear in a year’s time.
Just when it seemed Deonte Burton might go down without a fight, the senior guard unleashed a flurry. And, when it was over, UNLV was hit with a knockout blow.
At the time, it sounded like wishful thinking, and maybe the naive optimism of youth. Now, the words uttered by Deonte Burton are purely prophetic.
The message is bigger than a 3 or 4 seed in a conference tournament. It is much bigger than Bryce Dejean-Jones.
