3 takeaways from the UNLV-Oregon basketball game

PORTLAND, Ore. — Three takeaways from the UNLV basketball team’s 83-63 loss to Oregon on Saturday at Moda Center:

1. At least, for UNLV, this wasn’t Duke all over again.

The Rebels were thoroughly embarrassed by Duke a week earlier, losing 94-45 before an ESPN and T-Mobile Arena audience. How they would handle another encounter with a ranked team on national TV was a major question.

For the first half, anyway, UNLV did just fine, going into halftime behind 37-33. Oregon opened the second half with a 16-2 run, and though the Rebels went on a late 3-point binge (Jovan Mooring, especially), they never seriously threatened again.

But it wasn’t the thrashing the Blue Devils put on them, and there’s something to be said for that. The Rebels didn’t let that experience hang over them, and they need to quickly move on from this game before Monday’s contest against Southern Illinois at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“The last Top 25 team we played, when they made tough shots, we were surprised and we relaxed on defense,” said Mooring, who led UNLV with 20 points. “But I think this game we continued to fight.

“We definitely used that (Duke) experience. We didn’t want to dig ourselves a hole again, and Coach (Marvin Menzies) calmed us down. Basketball’s a game of runs. There have been games where we jumped on teams, and they come right back. It’s a part of the game, but we have to adjust better throughout the game.”

2. Injuries.

With forward Chris Boucher sitting on the Oregon bench in a left walking boot, it could have been a great opportunity for UNLV. But the Rebels had forwards Dwayne Morgan (shoulder) and Christian Jones (ankle) out for the second game in a row, and their absences were really noticeable.

Oregon outrebounded UNLV 39-23.

That’s not to say the Rebels would have won with Morgan and Jones, but it wouldn’t have been a 20-point loss.

“We had a lot of shots blocked because 6-2 against 6-9 or 6-10 probably doesn’t add up,” Menzies said. “We talked to them about it. We showed them film. They’re the best shot-blocking team in the country for a reason.”

UNLV badly needs Morgan and Jones back, and it won’t happen against Southern Illinois. Maybe they return for Thursday’s home game against Kansas.

3. Tyrell Green is the unexpected hero.

Green has been the Rebels’ most improved player and arguably their best. Who could have seen that coming?

Injuries kept Green out for most of last season, and when he did play early on, he didn’t do much in averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds. Now the senior forward averages 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Against Oregon, he scored 15 points in the first half while the rest of the team struggled and finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

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