Healthy Wallace could become shooting star

Looking back at a depressing moment that led to a difficult year, UNLV senior Kendall Wallace can laugh and say blowing out his right knee was a blessing.

"If you have an injury like that, you have to look at it in a positive light," he said. "I looked forward to this year. Little did I know we would have a new coaching staff."

Neither did he know the Rebels' new coach, Dave Rice, would consider himself fortunate to welcome back Wallace, a 3-point shooting specialist, and implement his skills into a run-and-shoot offense.

But Rice, who was hired in April, made that point clear in their first meeting.

"I'm really sorry you got hurt last year," Rice told him, "but I'm really actually kind of glad you got hurt."

Rice smiled and said, "Of course, we shared a laugh."

If not for a torn anterior cruciate ligament that required surgery last September, Wallace's college basketball career would be finished. He might be in graduate school or coaching somewhere.

Instead, he's playing a part in UNLV's first season under Rice, who will give his best shooters the freedom to fire away.

"Kendall has made big shots in big games, so he really adds something that we need," Rice said. "He's obviously a guy we're counting on to play quality minutes. The last couple days, Kendall has made a lot of shots and he's moving really well. He knows that when his feet are set, we want him to shoot the ball."

The Rebels were one of the weakest 3-point shooting teams in the Mountain West Conference last season, a point that was painfully apparent when they shot a combined 2-for-33 from 3-point range in two regular-season losses to San Diego State.

Rice expects UNLV's long-range accuracy to improve dramatically, and Wallace's return helps. Oscar Bellfield, Mike Moser and Chace Stanback can hit from 20 feet and beyond, and juniors Justin Hawkins and Anthony Marshall are showing improved shooting in practices.

Wallace, a career 37.1 percent shooter from 3-point range, might not always get major minutes in a rotation deep with guards and wings. He has defensive limitations, but every team needs a shooting specialist.

"I'm just going to play my role, and that's to be a shooter and come in off the bench to energize the team if they need me," Wallace said. "You can't be pissed about playing time and all that.

"You've got to think about what's best for the team and try to contribute any way you can. With this style of offense, we're going to need everybody. We're going to be wearing teams down."

Rice wants the Rebels to run opponents ragged, so he plans to employ a deeper rotation than most coaches typically do.

"I do believe that we're going to play a lot of guys," Rice said. "I think the way that we want to play, we can play a number of guys, and we need depth from our bench."

Wallace has made a "great recovery" from knee surgery, said Rice, who credited the fifth-year senior's dedication to working with Jason Kabo, UNLV's assistant director of strength and conditioning, and athletic trainer Dave Tomchek.

Wallace is even playing without a knee brace, which he ditched in July.

"When the knee felt weak, I wouldn't even play golf without the brace, just to be safe, because I didn't want to go through that rehab again," he said. "I feel restricted with the brace on. Dave told me I didn't need it after a certain point, so I tried playing without it and it felt good.

"I think it gives me a little more freedom, and it made my knee stronger playing without it. My knee is feeling is good. I don't think about it when I'm out there playing. That's exciting to be out there and not be hesitant on making any cuts. It's like it never happened."

But the fact that it did happen gave Wallace, who has started 10 of his 94 career games, a chance to sit back and look forward.

"I had never gone through an injury like that before," he said. "It was the longest year of my life."

n NOTES -- Sophomore point guard Reggie Smith took an elbow in Thursday's practice and has been sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. … Bishop Gorman's Shabazz Muhammad, ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's top senior, visited Saturday's practice. Muhammad, being courted by Duke, Kentucky, UCLA and others, has become more serious about his interest in UNLV.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.