Getting scheduling right is key for UNLV basketball

UNLV has for years had a temporary feel to its basketball program, the turnover of players from season to season leaving little room for continuity.

On Wednesday, the Rebels will honor three seniors who each suited up for just one complete UNLV season.

The future is always hanging in the background, sometimes literally so as 6-foot 6-inch recruit Tervell Beck, from OnPoint Academy in Oklahoma, watched practice Tuesday.

UNLV (10-19, 3-13 Mountain West) has at least three games remaining before coaches fully turn their attention to the future. Next is Utah State (13-15, 7-10) at 8 p.m. at the Thomas &Mack Center. The Aggies are 4½-point favorites in a game that ESPNU will televise.

Part of UNLV’s planning involves the schedule, and don’t expect the Rebels to face another gauntlet like this season when they played Arizona State, Duke, Oregon and Kansas in December.

But that’s not to say big-name opponents won’t be on future schedules. Just maybe not so many at one time.

“I think scheduling is something you have to plan year by year based on your roster,” Rebels coach Marvin Menzies said. “But you also want to make sure you’re playing a level of competition that the fans are excited about, too.

”I don’t like playing nine guarantee games and that kind of thing. I think you do need to strategically put games on your plate that you can build confidence, you can build experience, and have a continued growth throughout the season. We’re trying to do that right now.”

UNLV officials hope to play 16 to 18 games (including in the conference) in Las Vegas next season, but are finding it increasingly challenging to schedule in December with ancillary events from the National Finals Rodeo spilling to venues beyond the Thomas &Mack. After Wednesday’s home finale, the Rebels will have played 19 games in Southern Nevada this season.

Some of next season’s schedule is coming together. Arizona will visit to complete a four-year contract, Southern Utah will make the first of back-to-back visits to UNLV, and the Rebels will travel to Northern Iowa as part of the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge.

In an effort to schedule more regionally, UNLV also is expected to play at Pacific next season, then get two games against the Tigers in Las Vegas.

“I think there’s some value to that,” Menzies said of playing a more regional schedule.

The Rebels also would like to play an exempt tournament each season and are close to finalizing their part in the MGM Grand Main Event at T-Mobile Arena or the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Utah, Mississippi and Rice also are in the field.

UNLV will travel to Honolulu in 2018 to play in the Diamond Head Classic and will pursue similar events in future seasons, such as a return trip to the Maui Invitational.

Exempt events don’t count against the NCAA’s limit of 27 games. Playing in a destination state such as Hawaii and against competition that can help with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament are attractive reasons to compete in an exempt tournament.

“I think every team now … looks to have one that can be beneficial both from where you play the game to who your competition is,” Menzies said.

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