Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 | 3:43 p.m.
Since he practiced in the building all last season, UNLV sophomore Chace Stanback knew the Thomas & Mack Center can be a cold arena.
But 31.3 percent? That's Arctic.
“Nobody’s ever happy with 31.3 percent, even 38 percent,” Stanback said after Friday’s late-morning practice in the building. “I like to be in the 40s. But it all comes with repetition, how many shots I can get up.
“I’ll get back to where I was.”
Fellow Rebel Matt Shaw played with Stanback at Los Angeles Fairfax High. Before the season, Shaw said the one thing that will impress fans is how well Stanback can shoot.
It’s just two games into the season, but that hasn’t played out.
Stanback missed all six shots he attempted in an exhibition game against Washburn, then he came back with 15 points in the final 15 minutes by sinking 6-of-8 from the field.
But he was 1-for-8 in the opener against Pittsburg State.
After Monday’s practice in the Mack, UNLV coach Lon Kruger helped Stanback polish his mid-range accuracy and he went 4-for-8 from the field Wednesday in the thrilling comeback victory over UNR.
“I just have to get my legs more into it,” Stanback said Friday. “I haven’t really been doing that, but I’ve been working on it. Hopefully, it’ll change.”
The gym at Fairfax, Stanback said, often had a chill about it.
“But it wasn’t this cold,” he said with his arms wrapped under his practice jersey.
He said the numbers that matter most are 2-0 – the Rebels’ record heading into Saturday night’s game against Southern Illinois.
“Yeah, the wins definitely matter more,” Stanback said. “I can be shooting 20 percent, but if we’re winning I’m happy. It’s all a team effort. I’ll keep shooting and teammates will look for me, and they’ll fall pretty soon.
“They’ll start falling.”
Follow Rob Miech on Twitter at twitter.com/RobMiech.
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