Kruger, Rebels ready to hit court for opening of practice

Over the past six months, Lon Kruger has faced tough questions about off-the-court issues with players. The UNLV coach prefers not to reflect on a dark offseason.

Finally, the half of the year he looks forward to is here. Kruger can talk and teach basketball again.

The Rebels hit the Thomas & Mack Center floor at 7 p.m. today for a FirstLook practice that is open to the public.

"It's always a great time of year," Kruger said. "From the start of practice to the first game, when we haven't won or lost any games yet, the guys are enthusiastic and practice is about focusing on getting better every day."

An estimated 4,500 fans attended last year's opening practice. Tonight's session, which will last about 75 minutes, includes drills, dunking and a scrimmage. Fans can meet the players after practice.

"It really helps getting our guys in front of fans, especially the young guys," Kruger said.

Senior guard Tre'Von Willis, the Rebels' veteran leader, endured a troubling summer. He was arrested June 29 for allegedly choking a female friend, and on Sept. 28 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery-domestic violence.

Willis is suspended for a minimum of three games -- exhibitions against Grand Canyon on Nov. 2 and Washburn (Kan.) on Nov. 9 and the regular-season opener against UC Riverside on Nov. 12.

Willis, who had minor knee surgery in August, is allowed to practice. He was the Rebels' leading scorer last season with 17.2 points per game and was voted first-team All-Mountain West Conference.

UNLV returns five other players who started games last season: senior guard Derrick Jasper, junior guard Oscar Bellfield, junior forward Chace Stanback, junior center Brice Massamba and sophomore guard Anthony Marshall.

Kruger said Bellfield has fully recovered from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April.

Jasper started 21 games before going down with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee in UNLV's victory over Air Force on Jan. 26. He returned to practice in early March but did not appear in another game.

In the summer of 2007, Jasper needed microfracture surgery on the same knee.

"Derrick is saying he feels as good as he has since the surgery," Kruger said.

The Rebels will get bigger because of two players who redshirted last season, 6-foot-11-inch freshman forward Carlos Lopez from Findlay Prep and 6-8 sophomore Quintrell Thomas, a transfer from Kansas.

The only true freshman is 6-6 swingman Karam Mashour from Israel.

Justin Hawkins returns after playing in all 34 games as a freshman guard.

The 15-man roster also includes 6-8 Mike Moser, who's redshirting after transferring from UCLA, and walk-ons Todd Hanni, Mychal Martinez and Tyler Norman.

UNLV finished 25-9 last season, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons, but two seniors who figured to be key parts of this team will be missing.

Matt Shaw's career ended April 27, when it was announced he failed a random drug test and was issued a one-year suspension. Kendall Wallace was lost for the season Sept. 1 after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He recently had surgery and plans to return next season.

Shaw and Wallace were the Rebels' top 3-point shooters.

"When you take those two out of the equation, that changes the look for sure," Kruger said. "I don't know that we'll shoot as many 3s. We'll find different ways to score."

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