Moser persevering through pain to keep Rebels on winning path

UNLV forward Mike Moser doesn't have to be fully healthy to help his team win.

That's good news for the Rebels. At this rate, the returning first-team All-Mountain West performer might never be at full strength again.

Coach Dave Rice says the junior's importance stretches far beyond the 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds he was averaging per game during an injury-plagued season going into Saturday night's 76-71 overtime victory over Air Force at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"What he does for our young guys in the locker room is vitally important because he doesn't panic and he leads and he does great things for us," Rice said. "He'll just continue to get better."

It doesn't hurt when Moser also guts out 14 points and 11 rebounds as he did in 40 minutes of action Saturday.

"I felt good. I just kind of played my game today," he said. "I felt comfortable right from the get-go, and I was able to get going early.

"I wish I could have been more efficient, especially from the free-throw line and 3-point line, but I'm just getting back to the pace of the game. I'm definitely going to get better."

He finished 6-for-16 from the field and 2 of 7 from the line. He was 0-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Moser played by far his most minutes of the season and was at close to full strength for the first time suffering a hip injury during a win over Hawaii on Dec. 1. He missed the team's next game at Portland and then returned against California, only to go down again with a dislocated elbow early in the first half.

Moser slowly has worked his way back into the rotation but says he was "100 percent" when Saturday's game began.

"It's not stopping me from doing anything," he said.

It sure looked that way early.

Moser had 12 points and six rebounds in the first half, only to have his back tighten up at halftime. Moser's final points of the game came on a jumper with just under 16 minutes remaining in regulation.

He clearly was struggling to get around the court at all down the stretch but remained on the floor during the crucial minutes of a tight game.

"I was just telling the guys this is how league is," he said. "It's going to be tough every night."

Bryce Dejean-Jones, Saturday night's hero, said Moser's leadership extends beyond the games.

"Mike's always an up-tempo guy, whether it's in practice, in the weight room, in the locker room, at practice," he said. "He's always encouraging guys to get better. He's always setting a good example. It carries on and off the court."

He was assisted to the postgame news conference with his arms draped over two team officials.

"I took a fall on an and-one," he said. "(My back) was really tight. I just had to get through it; the team needed me. I'm about to go jump in an ice bath and get treatment.

"I'll be fine on Wednesday."

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.