UNLV basketball adds pair of point guards to roster
Point guards DeVille Smith and Kendall Smith signed national letters of intent with the UNLV men’s basketball team Wednesday, the first day of the spring signing period.
The 5-foot-11-inch DeVille Smith will be a junior this fall. He played this past season at Southwest Mississippi Community College after spending his freshman year at Mississippi State.
DeVille Smith, ranked 17th at point guard in the class of 2011 by Rivals.com, averaged 16.7 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals this past season for Southwest Mississippi. He shot 52 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free-throw line.
“We are excited about DeVille Smith joining our program,” UNLV coach Dave Rice said. “He is a great competitor who makes the players around him better. He brings valuable experience and is a terrific teammate. He will be a tremendous pressure defender and very effective in our transition system.”
The 6-2 Kendall Smith will be a freshman. He played at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Calif., averaging 27.5 points, 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals this past season. He had a season high of 52 points.
“He is a winner and is extremely versatile,” Rice said. “He is committed to team and capable of taking over a game, making plays for others. He will be a lockdown defender and explosive in our up-tempo system.”
■ WOMEN’S TENNIS — UNLV junior Lucia Batta was named Mountain West player of the week for the second time this season and the seventh in her career. She improved to 19-0 in dual matches with two victories last week.
