Morant, Cook decide to redshirt for Rebels

UNLV forward Demetris Morant said he was "100 percent sure" the right move for him would be to redshirt as a freshman. It was something he had planned for weeks.

Daquan Cook needed some late convincing.

"I never actually thought about it," said Cook, a freshman point guard from Baltimore.

Rebels coach Dave Rice announced the decisions to redshirt Cook and Morant after Saturday's basketball practice, and one was a much tougher call than the other.

"We talked a lot about it, and it was a big decision," Cook said. "We broke it all down, and we came to the conclusion that it would be the best decision for me. I was fine with that."

UNLV will have nine scholarship players available when it opens the season against Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"It's a very manageable working number. But it's always a concern because you can't forecast injuries," said Rice, leaving the option open to pull off Cook's redshirt if needed in November or December.

"We keep it open if we would have some sort of a significant injury with perimeter guys in the first half of the season. Then we would entertain the idea. Hopefully, we'll never have an injury of any kind of major magnitude, but you never know about those things."

The 6-foot-1-inch Cook, on the slight side at 170 pounds, said he plans to hit the weight room to add needed strength. The same goes for the 6-9, 200-pound Morant, from Bishop Gorman High School. Both players are allowed to practice with the team this season.

"Daquan is certainly ready to play some minutes," Rice said. "The decision was made much harder because of the improvement Daquan has made. He's as improved as anyone in our program. I just feel like because we're building a program, and he's 17 years old, that he'll play a lot more as a fifth-year senior."

Rice left the decisions to Cook and Morant, but he said redshirt years benefit the long-term plan for the roster and the development of each player.

"It's going to be the best decision I've made so far," Morant said. "If I didn't redshirt, I would not be getting that much playing time and pretty much wasting a year. Coach thinks I'll be a great player the next couple years."

Morant said he was "very disappointed" that he didn't play Wednesday in the Rebels' exhibition, an 81-80 overtime victory over Division II Dixie State. But he said he also understood the circumstances, because UNLV blew a 17-point halftime lead and Rice coached to win by shortening the bench.

"I was disappointed that he didn't get an opportunity to play in that," Rice said. "I believe Demetris can be an all-conference player for us down the road."

The Rebels gain a 10th scholarship player Dec. 17, when sophomore center Khem Birch, a transfer from Pittsburgh, becomes eligible for the game at Texas-El Paso.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.