UNLV-UCLA meeting lacks key characters

If UNLV and UCLA cross paths in March, the storylines could be sensational. But the teams' meeting today - minus Shabazz Muhammad, fans and TV cameras - is missing drama and a few of the main characters.

Muhammad, the highly touted freshman from Bishop Gorman High School, won't play for the Bruins when they host the Rebels in a closed scrimmage at 1 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. NCAA rules prohibit fans and media from attending.

The NCAA also has sidelined Muhammad while investigating whether he received improper benefits during his recruitment. The review of Muhammad, ranked the nation's No. 1 or No. 2 basketball prospect in the 2012 class, has dragged on for several months.

UNLV pursued the 6-foot-6-inch shooting guard before he signed with UCLA. But his college eligibility is in limbo, and he is expected to enter next summer's NBA Draft.

The Bruins are ranked 13th in The Associated Press preseason poll, five spots ahead of the Rebels.

UNLV junior forward Mike Moser, who transferred from UCLA after his freshman year, said, "We always want to play against the best competition."

That is precisely why Rebels coach Dave Rice scheduled the scrimmage. The Bruins, likely a fringe Top 25 team without Muhammad, can offer some of the toughest competition available on the West Coast.

"We have two options. We can play an exhibition game, and we can play a closed scrimmage, and there's value in doing one of each," Rice said. "The main advantage of playing a closed scrimmage is you can play an opponent that is a terrific team."

The teams will play a 40-minute game with referees and media timeouts. The fans and media will be welcomed back Wednesday, when UNLV hosts Dixie State in a 7 p.m. exhibition at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Rice is welcoming the return of sophomore shooting guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, who broke two bones in his left hand Oct. 4. At the time, he was expected to be in a cast for four to six weeks, but it was removed before Thursday's practice.

"If he hadn't gotten the cast off, I think he would have found an electric saw and removed the cast himself," Rice said. "I never had a doubt about Bryce."

Dejean-Jones, a transfer from Southern California and a projected starter, is making the trip to UCLA but won't play today. Rice's plan is for Dejean-Jones to practice full speed Monday and see limited minutes in Wednesday's exhibition.

A short-handed UNLV team also could be without junior forward Carlos Lopez-Sosa in today's scrimmage. He injured his left shoulder in practice this week, and while the injury is not considered serious, Rice said Lopez-Sosa probably will be held out of the scrimmage.

The Rebels return five scholarship players - Moser, Lopez-Sosa and seniors Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins and Quintrell Thomas - from a 26-9 team that reached the NCAA Tournament. Anthony Bennett and Katin Reinhardt lead a top 10-ranked recruiting class.

UCLA, off a 19-14 season that resulted in no postseason bid and included a lot of tumultuous times for coach Ben Howland, hauled in a heralded recruiting class headlined by Muhammad and Kyle Anderson, a 6-9 guard who was cleared to play Wednesday after a lengthy NCAA investigation.

Muhammad was dealing with an issue other than the NCAA's investigation. He injured a shoulder during practice Oct. 24 and was expected to miss two to four weeks.

Muhammad might be a long shot to play in the Bruins' opener Friday against Indiana State.

Howland, speaking Thursday at Pacific-12 Conference media day in San Francisco, said, "I'm very optimistic about Shabazz. I can't tell you how long or when, I don't know that."

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