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Published Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 | 1:50 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 | 2:03 p.m.
The basketball teams at Cornell and Utah State are better than UNLV, at least that’s according to 31 coaches.
In the newly released ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the Rebels received two points. On the Top 25 list they check in at No. 53.
Cornell and Utah State both got three points.
Last season, UNLV went 21-11. It lost seven of its final 11 games, including an opening game in the National Invitation Tournament at Kentucky.
With returnees like Tre'Von Willis, Oscar Bellfield, Darris Santee, and transfers Derrick Jasper (Kentucky) and Chace Stanback (UCLA), all of who were stung by last season, the Rebels might have the arsenal and experience to return to the NCAA tournament next spring.
The Big Red of Cornell is the favorite in the Ivy League. It went 21-10 last season and lost to Missouri in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Aggies of Utah State won a school-record 30 games last season and lost to Marquette by a point in an NCAA first rounder. They are coached by 12th-year boss Stew Morrill.
Other Mountain West Conference teams showing up in the poll are BYU (16 points) and San Diego State (8 points).
Kansas (770) points, Michigan State (732), Texas (676), North Carolina (653) and Kentucky (635) are the top five teams in the preseason poll.
Follow Rob Miech on Twitter at twitter.com/RobMiech.
Shocker there that a Mnt. West team has to prove itself from scratch every season.
I don't personally care too much about what the coach's proxy think of UNLV. In 2006-07 we finished as a top 15 team but we (according to the supposed coaches poll) couldn't get higher than 25 during the regular season.
Besides that, I like sliding under the radar. Gives the Rebs something to be angry about.
Hope Massamba isn't hurt too bad. It would have been nice to have the full team together for once, once Chace comes back here in the next several days.
Pre-season polls are like male nipples: good for a conversation or two, but ultimately pointless. Most of these hoops prognosticators hail from the East Coast, and champion any school from the ACC, SEC, or Big East. They're too lazy to do their homework and really investigate the teams out west. They rely too much on the previous year's records and stats sheets, without truly examining current rosters. That's why UNLV is coming in at No.53, and that's why the Runnin' Rebs will be a force to be reckoned with come tourney time. Other's ignorance is our bliss.
Cornell DID Play some big-name programs close early last season, made the NCAA Tournament and nearly upset Missouri in the first round, who by the way went on to the elite eight. Most preseason polls -- aside from hardly telling the future accurately -- mostly go based on last season's performances. I guarantee you that 80 percent of voters around the country are unaware of the infusion UNLV will get from Jasper, Stanback, etc. Just let it play out and don't flip too much at this :)
Sufferin, relax ... if you were to count it down, that's where UNLV would land. So, yes, there is such a thing. And, wrong, you are not nothing if you are not among the top 25. You have a constant bull's-eye, don't you, robert?
I like where the program is now just fine. We had back to back trips to the Big Dance and got a couple of wins. Even when Tark was bringing in tons of talent, we had pleanty of first and second round exits.
Relax, robert
You took that as an apology? ha. How did you get to be so abrasive and caustic???
Forgot your meds today robert?
Why does this site put up with Sufferin? I'm sure he would just create a new account, but really, its the same crap different day with him. All he does is complain and never really offers a solution to what he perceives as a problem, other than getting a new coach. Getting a new coach isn't going to solve anything. The only coach in the country that could bring the sort of recruits he thinks we need is the guy at Kentucky. What has he done for his old schools? Officially not that much. Is that what he wants, a coach who breaks the rules to get one and done or two and out players? Any other coach is bound by the same restrictions Kruger is with regards to recruing, budgeting etc.. The fact is that UNLV is UNLV, not Kentucky or Duke or UCLA. Regardless of the all time wins list, UNLV isn't a top tier university and probably never will be. His except nothing but the best attitude just isn't reasonable. There is a difference between accepting mediocrity and being happy with success and progress and Sufferin should be happy with the latter.
Hey Sufferin,
I heard the other vegas paper (the one that rhymes with seview dournal)loves your comments. Go bother them for a while and let us have the Sun as a place to be positive.
Hey Rob, thanks for the great scoop on the Rebels. I can't wait for hoops to start.
Sufferin- don't you have a 6 year olds soccer game to heckle. Every team needs publicity no matter the importance. It let's the kids know they are being recognized for their hard work and dedication. Focus your attention on a new UNLV football coach and leave Rebel Hoops alone
Krueger has done a great job after a slow start. He puts competitive teams on the court every season and the program is gaining momentum in the recruiting wars.
I acutily think lon kruger has done a good job at unlv given where the program was before he got there atleast we have some type of hope with him here...