Rebels on the rise

By Rob Miech

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 | 7:32 a.m.

Points

Wink Adams, 514

Wendell White, 505

Kevin Kruger, 417

Gaston Essengue, 280

Michael Umeh, 276

Scoring average

Wendell White, 14.4

Wink Adams, 13.9

Kevin Kruger, 13.5

Michael Umeh, 7.9

Gaston Essengue, 7.6

Rebounds

Wendell White, 214

Gaston Essengue, 185

Joel Anthony, 150

Wink Adams, 142

Michael Umeh, 103

Assists

Kevin Kruger, 159

Wink Adams, 85

Marcus Lawrence, 78

Curtis Terry, 61

Michael Umeh, 53

Blocks

Joel Anthony, 109

Gaston Essengue, 50

Steals

Wink Adams, 55

Wendell White, 43

Marcus Lawrence, 35

Curtis Terry, 32

Kevin Kruger, 31

Gaston Essengue, 27

Minutes played

Wink Adams, 1147

Kevin Kruger, 963

Wendell White, 958

Michael Umeh, 812

Gaston Essengue, 750

Games played

Wink Adams, 37*

Gaston Essengue, 37

Curtis Terry, 37

Joel Anthony, 37

Marcus Lawrence, 37

Field goal percentage

Rene Rougeau, .607 (17-28)

Joel Anthony, .597 (80-134)

Corey Bailey, .585 (38-65)

Gaston Essengue, .528 (113-214)

Wendell White, .513 (210-409)

3-point percentage

Corey Bailey, .615 (8-13)

Joe Darger, .439 (47-107)

Michael Umeh, .372 (51-137)

Wink Adams, .358 (67-187)

Kevin Kruger, .346 (80-231)

Free throw percentage

Kevin Kruger, .835 (101-121)

Joe Darger, .833 (30-36)

Gaston Essengue, .761 (54-71)

Michael Umeh, .759 (41-54)

Wink Adams, .755 (117-155)

Matt Shaw, .722 (13-18)

UNLV coach Lon Kruger hasn't thought much about next season, in the wake of the Rebels' run to the Sweet 16 that reestablished NCAA tournament victories as a program standard.

He expects returning players to benefit from the postseason experience.

"They'll approach the offseason with a great deal of enthusiasm and interest," Kruger says. "When you have a season like this, it elevates that in a very healthy way."

Junior guard Wink Adams, setting the defensive tone up top and with a season of watching Kevin Kruger run the team, figures to inherit the reins of the squad, and Curtis Terry will be the lone senior who has been in the program four years.

"It will be a different type of team," assistant coach Lew Hill says. "It won't be as strong, and that's OK. There are different ways, and (Lon Kruger) will utilize long, athletic guys. Different structure, same concepts."

A hound-dog defense and free-flowing offense enabled the Rebels to win 30 games for the fifth time in the program's history, and that philosophy will set the tone for Kruger's fourth UNLV team.

According to Hill, being allowed rare freedom on offense appeals to Kruger's players. At times over the past two seasons, Kruger even asked Wendell White where he wanted to get the ball.

"Coach Kruger doesn't have an ego," Hill says. "He wants you to get the ball where we'll be successful. If you're a skilled offensive guy, you want to play for Coach ... he doesn't bog you down. He lets you play."

If, obviously, defense is your priority.

Lamar Roberson learned that lesson when he transferred from the University of Houston and tried stopping White and Kevin Kruger, among others, in practice all season.

"You have to play defense, no matter what," Roberson says. "Look where it gets you: the Sweet 16. At first, I wasn't really good on defense. But playing defense every day in practice is the best thing to happen to me."

Corey Bailey, a 6-foot-5 forward, will be the other senior. Kruger believes he will get more minutes and thrive.

"He will improve a huge amount," Kruger says. "Now that he'll be given more opportunity, I think he'll respond."

Hill says Joe Darger will be expected to be more than a 3-point threat next season, and point guard Marcus Lawrence, shooting guard Rene Rougeau, forward Troy Cage and 6-foot-8, 240-pound post man Matt Shaw will have chances to play larger roles.

Jerome Johnson, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound center, underwent knee surgery this past season and has three years of eligibility left.

"He should give us some rebounding toughness down there," Hill says. "We'll get him in position where he's comfortable making plays on certain sides of the blocks, and he has a nice jump hook. But he really has to rebound."

Roberson, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound small forward, will be a 21-year-old sophomore next fall. He played at Houston two seasons ago with best friend Emmanuel Adeife, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound center whom Kruger recruited out of Polk Community College in Winter Haven, Fla.

"We talk all the time," Roberson says of daily cell phone chats with Adeife, "about the shoes we have to fill on the court next season."

Guards Kendall Wallace and Mareceo Rutledge are the other two newcomers. None of the newcomers has wowed veteran FoxSports.com national recruiting analyst Frank Burlison. Still, Burlison didn't want to sound too harsh.

"The guards will be very good," Burlison says. "And as long as (Lon Kruger) is the coach, they'll be fine. He's a helluva coach."

Kruger, 54, has been linked to some coaching vacancies. But he says he hasn't been contacted by anyone and he isn't interested. That fits with what Roberson, who speaks with Kruger daily about various topics, believes.

"Yeah, he'll stay," Roberson says. "I know Coach wants to stay. He loves this program, gives his all every day. He loves us and we love him, so I know he'll stay."

Hill sees Roberson as an inside-outside guy, a "slasher" type of player who can sink 3-pointers consistently and tangle for offensive boards. Defense, Hill says, is becoming more of a habit with Roberson.

"He's working at it," Hill says, "and getting better."

Roberson mostly talks with Kruger about leadership.

"For the first time in my life, I'll really help lead a team to where we have to go," Roberson says. "We won't let the program fall at all. Where we're at today, we'll get back to next year."

Big games

INDIVIDUALS

Points - 30, Wendell White at Wyoming, Jan. 10

Rebounds - 12, Wendell White vs. Utah, Jan. 3; at Air Force, Jan. 6

Assists - 10, Kevin Kruger vs. Air Force, Feb. 20

Blocks - 13, Joel Anthony vs. TCU, Feb. 7

Steals - 5, Wendell White vs. South Florida, Dec. 19

3-pointers - 8, Kevin Kruger vs. Utah, Jan. 3

Free throws - 10, Wink Adams vs. New Mexico, Jan. 27

TEAM OFFENSE

Team points - 103 vs. Norfolk State, Dec. 18

Team rebounds - 44, at Houston, Dec. 30, vs. Air Force, Feb. 20

Team Assists - 28, vs. Norfolk State, Dec. 18

Team blocks - 19, vs. TCU, Feb. 7

Team steals - 14, at UNR, Dec. 9; vs. South Florida, Dec. 19

Team fouls - 27, at Wyoming, Jan. 10

TEAM DEFENSE

Opponent's low score - 47, Colorado State, March 3

Opponent's turnovers - 23, South Florida, Dec. 19; TCU, Jan. 20

Opponent's FG Pct. - 30.2, Air Force, Feb. 20

Live by the 3, die by the 3

Oregon ended UNLV's season by hitting 56.5 percent (13 of 23) from 3-point range. The Rebels made only 9 of 33 (27.3 percent) of their 3-pointers. In each of UNLV's seven defeats, it was outshot by its foe from long range; opponents connected on 44.4 percent of their 3-point shots to 25.5 percent for the Rebels.

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