Rebels confident their best is yet to come

OKLAHOMA CITY -- If UNLV basketball players are wearing sad expressions and packing their bags to head home early this time next year, Anthony Marshall will be surprised. And he won't be alone.

Expectations not only will be higher next season, the demands for success will be greater.

Aside from regularly beating Brigham Young and Louisville, the Rebels have not had a lot to celebrate the past two seasons.

Marshall sees that changing soon, and the freshman guard from Mojave High School figures to play a big role in any future success.

"I feel like we're going to be pretty strong next year," he said, still stinging from a 69-66 loss to Northern Iowa on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Rebels finished 25-9, but their nonconference schedule turned out weaker than anticipated. Only eight of those victories came at the expense of opponents that finished with winning records.

Rising above mediocrity no longer is a problem. Reaching an elite level is the challenge.

The loss to Northern Iowa, which shocked top-seeded Kansas 69-67 in Saturday's second round, looks much better now than it felt at the time. UNLV coach Lon Kruger will be entering his seventh season, and his next team shapes up as one of his two best.

"There's no other way but to feel good," guard Tre'Von Willis said. "We're definitely going to have good days ahead of us."

Willis, the Rebels' leading scorer at 17.2 points per game, will be part of a senior class with Derrick Jasper, Matt Shaw and Kendall Wallace.

Marshall, Willis and sophomores Oscar Bellfield, Brice Massamba and Chace Stanback comprised the starting five in the season finale.

"It's a young group, and I'm sure in time they will look forward to getting back out there and be anxious to get started in preparation for next year," Kruger said.

That nucleus of eight players, who have totaled 461 games and 215 starts at UNLV, won't be "young" next season.

Freshman guard Justin Hawkins, who appeared in all 34 games as a reserve, also returns.

But experience is not all the Rebels are banking on, because redshirts Carlos Lopez and Quintrell Thomas are expected to be significant additions.

UNLV has not had a legitimate low-post attack since its Sweet 16 season of 2006-07. Thomas, a 6-foot-8-inch, 245-pound forward, has skills and strength. The sophomore transfer from Kansas will help immediately. Lopez, a 6-11 freshman from Findlay Prep, might have a higher ceiling for potential than anyone else in the program.

The 6-10 Massamba made noticeable progress in all areas as a sophomore. Shaw, at 6-8, can play more on the perimeter, where he hit a team-high 45 percent of his 3-pointers. He shot 5-for-6, made two 3s and led the team with 14 points against Northern Iowa.

The Rebels' lack of physical play was reflected in two statistics: They attempted 190 fewer free throws than their opponents and finished minus-23 in total rebounds.

"We were fairly young this season with two seniors," Marshall said. "I know everybody is going to put in their work this spring and summer to get better."

Darris Santee and walk-on Steve Jones, the team's only seniors, scored two of the 66 points against Northern Iowa.

Jasper, a 6-6 guard, missed the last seven weeks of the season. The Kentucky transfer started the first 21 games but suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Jan. 26.

Marshall filled in and blossomed. He started the last 10 games and averaged 6.9 points. Marshall's jump shot needs improvement, but he's an explosive athlete and is relentless on the floor.

"The freshmen came in and listened to the older guys and bought in to what we were trying to do," Willis said. "Chace did the same thing. They were so big for us."

Aside from Willis' maturation as a leader, the most important development was Stanback's growth as a scorer and defender. The UCLA transfer was UNLV's No. 2 scorer (10.7 points per game) and leading rebounder (5.8).

"I feel like we're going to be better next season," Stanback said. "I'm looking forward to it right now."

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