Bayno hoping his guys become more offensive this season

Steve Carp

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 11:48 a.m.

He may preach defense first, but UNLV coach Bill Bayno knows his team is going to have to pick it up offensively this season if the program is to continue to grow and make it all the way back to national prominence.

To that end, Bayno is hoping the defense will jump-start the offense, particularly in the first half of games.

The Rebels will be playing more pressure defense than in any of Bayno's previous three seasons. The hope is to create more turnovers which will lead to easy baskets at the other end.

UNLV fans will get a glimpse of it Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center when the Rebels face Global Sports in the first of two exhibition games. UNLV will play the California All-Stars Nov. 10 at the Mack before kicking off the 1998-99 season at home Nov. 14 against Division II Sacred Heart.

Bayno has wanted to play this style of ball since he arrived in 1995. But he didn't always have the personnel to attack defensively. With this current group of athletic forwards and guards, he believes the Rebels can pump up their offense by playing pressure defense.

UNLV has struggled offensively for most of decade, be it four different coaching philosophies, injuries, suspensions, the switch from the Big West to the WAC. Take your pick.

In Jerry Tarkanian's final season, 1991-92, the Rebels averaged 80 points a game. Since then, UNLV has averaged 80 or more over an entire campaign only once -- Rollie Massimino's first season in 1992-93. Armed with Tark's players, namely J.R. Rider and his 29.1 average, the Rebels averaged 89.3 a game.

In Bayno's first season -- 1995-96 -- UNLV's last in the Big West, the Rebels averaged 67 points and went 10-16. The following year, its first in the WAC, UNLV averaged 73.1 points and finished 22-10. Last year, with several different lineups due to injuries and suspensions and a tougher overall schedule, the Rebels averaged just under 70 a game and went 20-13.

While the numbers went down slightly last year, one thing has been constant during Bayno's tenure -- the Rebels can be a slow-starting team offensively.

Check out these numbers:

In games UNLV has scored 35 or more points in the first half over the last three seasons, the Rebels are 31-4. When UNLV is limited to 30 or fewer points in the opening 20 minutes, the record is an appalling 10-25.

Last year, UNLV averaged 32.6 points in the first half. And when the Rebels scored 35 or more in the first half, they were a perfect 12-0.

That's why Bayno is looking for easy baskets. And the best way to get them is to force mistakes and convert at the other end. He also wants the ball pushed up the floor when the other team scores.

"Our transition offense is important," he said. "But hopefully, we'll get some more baskets from the defense."

This isn't full-court, Rick Pitino-style pressure defense. It's more cutting off passing lanes, overplaying people and denying opportunities for the other team.

"We've got to have a mind set offensively where we're pushing the ball and looking for each other," Bayno said. "To me, 70 is the magic number. If we can score 70, we'll be in games with a chance to win because of our defense."

Epps still hurting

After taking Saturday off, the Rebels returned to the practice floor Sunday as they prepare for their first exhibition game. But UNLV may be without center Issiah Epps, as the 6-foot-10 junior is still plagued by a pulled right groin muscle suffered last Tuesday.

Epps tried to practice Sunday but was having trouble running and had to sit out the majority of the workout.

"It's a shame because Ike was neck-and-neck to start," Bayno said. "This definitely sets him back. But the good news is that Matt Siebrandt has looked really good the past few days."

The 6-7 freshman from Galena High in Reno will back up Kaspars Kambala Thursday against Global Sports if Epps can't go. Everyone else is healthy.

FILL 'ER UP

After averaging less than 70 points a game last season, the UNLV basketball team will try and hit what is coach Bill Bayno's "Magic Number" of 70 each game this coming season. Here's a look at how the Rebels have fared offensively in the '90s:

Year Avg. pts. Record

1990-91 97.7 34-1

1991-92 80.0 26-2

1992-93 89.3 21-8

1993-94 77.9 15-13

1994-95 76.7 12-16

1995-96 67.0 10-16

1996-97 73.1 22-10

1997-98 69.5 20-13