3 takeaways from the UNLV Rebels’ win over Southern Illinois
Three takeaways from the UNLV basketball team’s 68-61 victory over Southern Illinois on Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center:
1. UNLV PLAYS WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN CLOSE GAMES.
The Rebels hadn’t played in a close game since winning 89-81 on Nov. 30 at Southern Utah, but as they showed that night and again Monday, they don’t panic in those situations.
UNLV also made the key plays in earlier games against UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton and Western Kentucky, and even if that’s not anyone’s idea of a murderers’ row, given this was a Rebels team put together on the fly over the spring and summer, it’s impressive.
Against Southern Illinois, UNLV played sloppy basketball and let a seven-point halftime lead disappear. But later with the score 61-61, Tyrell Green stepped up with a 3-pointer with 1:11 to play to put the Rebels ahead for good.
Jovan Mooring then came through with an outstanding steal off a long inbounds pass and went most of the court to turn the game completely in the Rebels’ favor.
“In winning time, we pulled through,” UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said. “That’s the most important thing. At the end of the day, you’ve got to get the ‘Ws.’ I was really happy to see us fight against a really experienced, scrappy Saluki team.”
2. THE TURNOVERS, THOUGH.
UNLV wouldn’t have been in such a dogfight if it had taken care of the ball. The Rebels committed 23 turnovers, allowing Southern Illinois to stick around.
“We’re upset with that right now,” Green said. “A lot of them were unforced, but I feel like we’re going to watch the film and we’re going to clean them up. We have to be more strong with the ball, especially with the team coming in. They force a lot of pressure.”
That would be third-ranked Kansas, which brings its four-guard lineup to the Mack on Thursday. If UNLV commits 23 turnovers in that game, it will be over almost before it begins.
Forget about Kansas, though. Little chance the Rebels win that game anyway. They need to greatly cut down on turnovers when Mountain West play begins Dec. 28 at Colorado State.
3. A WINNING NONCONFERENCE RECORD IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
It would be expected most years, but this is far from a typical UNLV season, where much of what happens gets graded on a curve.
Menzies was never put in a fair position after being hired in mid-April, and he did an admirable job putting together the roster just to get breathing bodies on the court. So to have clinched a winning nonconference record means something.
He downplayed the accomplishment, referring to “this as a chapter in the Book of Menzies. So the beginning of the first chapter, who’s going to remember that when they get to the end of the back? If it’s good read, I think that’s the most important thing.
“It’s a good thing, obviously. It keeps the fans coming back with a little more optimism. They saw us fight tonight.”
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.
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