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twitterUNLV BASKETBALL:
Adams back in routine with Texas trip on horizon
Senior guard looks to remain undefeated in home state as a Rebel
Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 | midnight
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Wink Adams struggles to get up after falling to the floor in pain with an abdominal injury Dec. 23 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Wink Adams falls to the floor in pain with an abdominal injury Dec. 23 at the Thomas & Mack, where UNLV took on Southern Utah. UNLV defeated SUU 73-60.
UNLV guard Wink Adams takes the ball up the court during the second half of their Mountain West Conference opener against New Mexico at the Thomas & Mack Center earlier this month. Adams returned to the lineup after missing the game against Louisville due to an injury.
A Thomas & Mack Center crowd got sucker punched. UNLV senior guard Wink Adams had executed the move a thousand times. Maybe 10,000 times. Maybe more.
On Dec. 23, the move won.
Backing a Southern Utah guard into the lane, Adams twisted back to his right. Between his left foot and his abdomen, something gave. He crumpled to the floor.
As Adams groaned and writhed, a hush of dashed hopes fell over a crowd of 10,528 fans who covered their mouths with a hand.
Thursday, Adams returned to his normal routine for the first time since he suffered that injury.
The timing couldn’t be better as he attempts to keep his pristine record in Texas intact. The Rebels travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to play TCU on Saturday.
The Houston native is 6-0 in the Lone Star State, and he expects to finish his collegiate career with a perfect record in his home state.
“I definitely cannot wait to graduate, get back home and brag,” Adams said. “I’ve never lost in Texas, and I still got this one game left. Hopefully, I can go home undefeated in Texas.
“I want to be 6-0 in Texas so nobody can say they beat me in Texas.”
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging test showed no tears, but Adams did not play in UNLV’s upset at ranked Louisville on New Year’s Eve.
Knowing they can win without their star could pay major dividends, confidence-wise, for the rest of the Rebels.
Adams played as a reserve against New Mexico on Saturday but did not score. The Southern Utah and Lobos games are the only ones in which Adams has not scored in 116 games as a Rebel.
He continued to receive treatment -– a lot of ice to reduce swelling -– and was put through some rehabilitation drills by trainer Dave Tomchek.
Wednesday, Adams said he was at about “95 percent.”
Thursday, he returned to his normal routine –- shooting and cardio work in the hour before practice, with more cardio afterward -– for the first time in 2 1/2 weeks.
He was relieved Wednesday when he experienced no pain sliding on defense or extending as he ran and jumped, which cleared the way for business as usual Thursday.
“Back to normal,” Adams said. “I didn’t feel any pain, just feeling good. I’m glad to be back. I’ll try to work myself back into the rotation and get the fatigue factor down.”
UNLV coach Lon Kruger said Adams will start against the Horned Frogs, but don’t be surprised if Kruger often employs a three-guard lineup, with Adams, Oscar Bellfield and Tre’Von Willis.
Adams looked solid Thursday. He drilled a couple of jumpers in one drill, then a third. And he canned a 3-point shot in a full-court stretch against the second team.
Kruger said Adams is not at full strength, stamina-wise, but that will come. In addition, his first real test will be his first penetration drive through the lane against TCU.
UNLV (13-2, 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference) is 7-0 against TCU (10-5, 1-0) during Adams’s career.
“We’re going to have to play defense against them,” Adams said. “TCU is a team that plays the same way we do. They’re playing better on defense, the way we want to play defense.
“They’re all focused. We’ll have to execute when we go down there.”
Adams said Kruger hasn’t told him about whether he would start Saturday.
“I really don’t know,” Adams said. “But it really doesn’t matter to me, as long as we go down there and take care of business. As long as we get the win, it’s good to me.”
Discussion: 9 comments so far…
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Glad to have wink back, he plays great perimeter defense. Anyone know a good bar to watch the game on Saturday? Ive been watching the away games at home but want to have more of a crowd around for the conference away games.
I watched the Findlay Prep high school game tonight, they won 90 to 48 or something. Lopez was impressive. He had one stretch where he scored 3 baskets in a row on a fast break after getting some sweet blocks. Nice finishing touch around the basket. Victor Rudd is amazing though. If he comes to UNLV we are a top 10 school next year guaranteed. I saw a few people in UNLV gear at the game, so hopefully he makes the decision to stay in town soon.
Wink's "Defense" and senior leadership are crucial to the success of this team. The whole team seems a bit more stable with Wink on the court. So, welcome back Wink.
We can all exhale now...
A lot of people are saying a lot of good things about Rudd. So here's hoping...
Buffalo Wild Wings on Flamingo and Hualapai is supposed to be packed for Rebels games. 1100am does their post game show live from there.
You know what's funny. I was in Phoenix for the Wild Card Playoff game. GO CARDS!!! the rebels played afterward and they don't have the mountain on Cox. I called bars for an hour trying to find one that would have the game. I called a fox sports grill and asked about the mountain, and the girl asked if I had just called. I said no, but was told the Rebels game would be playing there. When I showed up there were a half dozen Rebel fans already there. Small world, huh?
Hey Jerry the Mtn is on Cox...or are you speaking of Cox in the Phoenix area??
Speaking of checking out future Rebs ballin in high school now. All this talk of watching Findlay guys walk over teams sounds fun and all. But a real fun watch would be heading out to Mojave and watching Anthony Marshall get down. That kid is special for sure. The game comes so easy for him. Plus that HS division has some pretty good games that would prove to be better matches then some of the cakewalks Findlay and its 5th year guys have been having. Don't get me wrong I'm excited about Lopez and the possibility of Rudd, but I want to see one of our future Rebels going up against other teams that present challenges. That way we get a real good look at his talent.
SMB, I was referring to Cox in the Phoenix area. With no Mountain West teams they don't carry it. Also, Findlay no longer has 5th year players which is why they can be ranked nationally this year.
Yeah I know they stopped loading up their roster with 5th year players THIS SEASON, but I still want to see them go up against some of the better HS's in the country now" even better some of the better teams in the city, Moses Morgan and Palo Verde are right up in summerlin, Anthony Marshall and Mojave are right up north and so is Elijah Johnson and Cheyenne. Hell there are some good HS's out in Henderson they can go up against now. That's all I'm saying I guess, I mean come on now Elderado & Canyon Springs on your schedule? and your no.2
You're right SMB. But they do play a lotta top hs's in the nation, which is why they're flying all around, to Michigan, Kentucky, Rhode Island, next week they're in Ohio, then in Florida. Impressive. Desert Pines tried to put up a good show. And the do play at Bishop Gorman in a little while.
You are correct, though, in that folks could do a lotta good to see Marshall play. Especially when he goes up against Elijah in two weeks.
Thanks for the buffalo wild wings tip Lenny. Im going hiking up in Red Rock tomorrow morning so that will be a perfect place to go for some lunch and to check out the game.
Findlay Prep is a stacked team, with players committing to big time schools like Texas, Illinois, and UNLV. They don't play the best competition here in Las Vegas, but they play schools from all over the country, like NY, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Florida, and even one from Canada (eh?). So at least they are matching up against players all over, not just the state. I think high school basketball is very decieving anyway because many teams have a player or two who are really good, but the overall competition is severely lacking. Its easy to look that good if you have a natural height and strength advantage. For example at the Findlay Prep game, Lopez was at least 6 inches taller than any other player on the other team, so of course he will get some nasty blocks. But I am looking forward to our current recruiting class next year, Rudd or not.