Tyrell Green keeps UNLV’s Canadian pipeline flowing

Before committing to a college, Tyrell Green asked a friend for his opinion. It's a friend from Canada who knows Las Vegas well.

Green, who had narrowed his list to Colorado State and UNLV in early May, received a recommendation to play for the Rebels from Anthony Bennett. The No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft in 2013, Bennett spent only one year in college after attending Findlay Prep.

"I knew UNLV had a good line of Canadians come and play. I'm trying to come here and continue their path," Green said. "I talked to Bennett a little bit about it. He said it's a good program and the coaching staff is good."

Green is one of four Canadians to play for coach Dave Rice in recent seasons. Khem Birch left school early in 2014 and went undrafted, and Jalen Poyser is a freshman point guard. Bennett is playing in Green's hometown for the Toronto Raptors.

"We're taking it more serious," Green said of Canada producing more basketball prospects. "Everyone is trying to play at the highest level."

Green might have played a bigger role if he had chosen Colorado State, a rebuilding team in the Mountain West. Instead, he wanted to be part of a more talented team and fight for playing time at UNLV.

Players have been auditioning for roles in practice, but it gets more serious now. The Rebels face Southern California in a closed scrimmage today (Saturday) in Los Angeles. The scrimmages are closed to fans and media by NCAA rule.

UNLV's only exhibition is against Whittier College on Nov. 6 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Coaches have the option to schedule two exhibitions, two scrimmages or one of each.

"I think there is a value in us playing an exhibition game under the lights in front of fans," Rice said. "But there is also the advantage to playing against a Division I team in a closed scrimmage. It's the best of both worlds.

"Practice is great, and it's important because that's how you get better, but how guys produce and play in game situations is obviously very important and probably more important. We still have two opportunities for guys to be evaluated in terms of their game performance."

The Trojans, picked to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Pac-12 Conference, return five starters after finishing 12-20 last season. Junior guard Katin Reinhardt, who transferred from UNLV in the summer of 2013, is one of USC's returning starters.

Green is unlikely to start for the Rebels this season. A 6-foot-7-inch forward, he was recruited to be a role player off the bench as a junior. In two years at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, he shot 48.4 percent from 3-point range.

"He was a guy in junior college who shot the ball well, and we have confidence in him to hit open shots," Rice said. "We certainly brought him in as a guy who can play multiple positions."

As a sophomore, Green averaged 14.6 points — hitting 95 of 200 3s — and 6.2 rebounds. He's known as a spot-up shooter, but he said there's a lot more to his game, and he plans to use the closed scrimmage and exhibition to state his case for playing time.

"I'm someone who comes in and does the job, whatever the coaches ask me to do. That's just the kind of player I am," Green said. "I have a pretty good basketball IQ for finding guys and making the right reads.

"I like the competition that we have every day. Everyone is competing, and it makes everyone better. It's a high level. You have to bring it every day in practice."

NOTE — Sophomore center Goodluck Okonoboh did not practice Friday because of a sore lower back, and he's questionable to play against USC. Senior forward Chris Obekpa, a redshirt transfer from St. John's, and walk-on guard Alex Perez will not play in the scrimmage. Rice said he will have at least 12 players available.

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