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twitterUNLV BASKETBALL:
NIT-bound Rebels get date on the road with Kentucky
Annual banquet solemn as UNLV passed over by NCAA committee
Tiffany Brown
The 2009 Rebels stand on stage Sunday during the annual banquet at Cox Pavilion.
Sunday, March 15, 2009 | 9:05 p.m.
Rebels: NIT Bound
After losing in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament, UNLV is headed to the NIT as a four seed to face fifth-seeded Kentucky Tuesday night.
Beyond the Sun
- Salt Lake Tribune: Familiarity the theme of BYU's NCAA Tournament bid
- Salt Lake Tribune: Utah men's basketball: Rebuilding? Not anymore
The NCAA tournament selection show came and went with nary a sound from about 400 guests at UNLV’s awards banquet Sunday afternoon at the Cox Pavilion.
Although there were a few scattered boos when BYU flashed on both of the large television screens and it was revealed where the Cougars would play in the NCAAs.
The past two years, the occasion was buoyed by the sure-fire placement of the Rebels in the big tournament, where they played in five games.
That came from winning the Mountain West Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.
By losing six of its final 10 games this season, which included a quarterfinal game to San Diego State in the league tourney, UNLV (21-10) didn’t expect its name to be called on the CBS show.
It wasn’t.
Instead, the National Invitation Tournament picked the Rebels for its showcase, and they will start that tournament as a No. 5 seed against fourth-seeded Kentucky (20-13) in Lexington on Tuesday night.
Former Wildcats athletic director C.M. Newton chairs the NIT selection committee, so it couldn’t have surprised many that a choice opponent was picked to play Kentucky.
And at Kentucky, no less.
And in the Wildcats’ secondary barn, which will be much more hostile, according to UNLV fifth-year coach Lon Kruger, than Rupp Arena, which is booked for an event.
After nearly three hours, Kruger conducted interviews in the pavilion late Sunday afternoon as 40 tables and black tablecloths were being folded and 400 chairs were being stacked.
“It’s about getting results and preparing to get results,” Kruger said. “In the end, No. 1, we don’t want to get to March (and say), ‘If we would only do it over again, we’d do it differently.’
“Each of the players and coaches would say, if we could go back to October, we’d do it a little bit differently with regard to investment and with regard to clearly understanding how important each day is and each possession is.”
The event had a funereal beginning, with classical music being piped in over speakers, lights turned down low and black curtains surrounding the tables, podium and TV screens.
Guests served themselves to vegetables, macaroni and cheese, French fries, chicken fingers, and chicken or carne asada on flour taco shells on either side. Decadent desserts sat on rear tables.
A year ago, athletic director Mike Hamrick told the crowd that 2007-08 was supposed to be a rebuilding season. “If this is rebuilding … ” he said as he shared smiles with UNLV President David Ashley.
Sunday afternoon, Hamrick didn’t speak.
Jon Sandler, who calls UNLV games on the radio, emcee’d the event and started off by pumping some positive vibes into the crowd. He talked of the “secret plan” to make sure the Mountain West tournament stays in Las Vegas.
A few people laughed.
Sandler said some of the accomplishments of this team, and of the seniors and coaches over the past few seasons – like 78 victories in the last three seasons – shouldn’t be forgotten.
Oh, and there was that New Year’s Eve victory at Louisville - which was given the No. 1 seed by the selection committee Sunday - without star guard Wink Adams.
“One of the most exciting moments,” Sandler told the audience, “we’ve had in recent years. We stunned and shut up 18,000 raging Cardinals fans.”
Now the Rebels must go back to Kentucky.
Sandler talked about the first sweep of BYU in 11 years and the first sellout in the Mack since 1993.
“So it wasn’t that bad, folks,” Sandler said. “We did all right.”
A highlight show was aired, and Ashley talked about becoming a huge basketball fan through the efforts of his wife, Bonnie, who receives Kruger’s regular e-mail updates.
Ashley said he was proud how well the players represented the university, and he thanked the seniors and wished them well down the road.
Then the gathering greeted Kruger with a long standing ovation, and he thanked just about everyone in the room except the cooks who prepared the taco meat.
UNLV men's basketball head coach Lon Kruger speaks at the 2009 Runnin' Rebel Banquet on Sunday at Cox Pavilion.
He stood at the dark podium with 3-foot silver balloons spelling out U-N-L-V in front of him. An arc of scarlet and gray balloons served as the background.
He said the season had a lot of very good moments, and a lot of opportunities to learn from – and he included himself.
“It’s not all bad,” Kruger said. “It’s athletics.”
He introduced each class of players, and seniors Joe Darger, René Rougeau, Wink Adams and Rob Ketchum – who also spoke for Mo Rutledge, who is sick – briefly thanked the crowd for its support.
To players who have grade-point averages better than 3.0, Kruger handed plaques to Rutledge (Ketchum accepted), Darris Santee, Derrick Jasper, Todd Hanni and Steve "Chopper" Jones, who has the highest GPA.
Kruger announced that Rougeau won the team’s MVP award, voted on by the players, and that Chopper Jones won the most-inspirational award.
UNLV men's basketball head coach Lon Kruger speaks Sunday at the 2009 Runnin' Rebel Banquet at Cox Pavilion.
“This is a good group,” Kruger said in his finishing statement. “And we’re still happy to play a few more basketball games this year.”
NIT record
UNLV doesn’t have a sparkling recent history in the NIT.
In Kruger’s first season, in 2005, the Rebels beat Arizona State, 89-78, at home and then lost at South Carolina in the second round.
A year earlier, under Charlie Spoonhour, UNLV lost at Boise State, 84-69. In 2003, Hawaii beat the Rebels, 85-68, at the Mack.
In 2002, UNLV beat Arizona State, 96-91, at the Mack before losing at South Carolina, 75-65.
Hoping to get to the Garden
Adams goes into the postseason after scoring a season-high 26 points in the defeat to SDSU on Thursday.
“I’m always fired up to play,” he said. “I’m ready to play no matter who it is. We have to win. My goal there is to make it to Madison Square Garden in New York.
“My seniors are all ready to play. We just have to put it to our other teammates and have them ready to play.”
He was realistic about watching the NCAA tournament field unveiled and UNLV not being a part of it.
“It wasn’t shocking,” Adams said. “I think we were close to turning the edge this year. Like coach said, we just couldn’t turn the corner. If we had won two more games and the two overtime games, we’d be in. Every team in the tournament deserves it and played well.”
Rougeau named MVP
Rene Rougeau was announced MVP during the 2009 Runnin' Rebel Banquet on Sunday at Cox Pavilion.
On the other hand, Rougeau was frustrated when he saw Arizona, which the Rebels soundly defeated at the Mack, got into the NCAAs.
He also hoped that that win at Louisville, which was given the No. 1 seed by the NCAA selection committee, might have swayed some of the nine committee members toward giving UNLV a nod.
“I thought, OK, things might be turning around for the good,” Rougeau said. “I’m seeing other teams that didn’t seem like they were as worthy as SDSU. SDSU deserved a better chance than us because they got to the (conference) title game.”
The Aztecs lost to Utah, 52-50, in Saturday’s MWC championship game.
“It’s definitely frustrating, without a doubt,” Rougeau said. “But if we would have finished stronger in the conference, it would have been a lot different.”
He was thrilled that his teammates thought so highly of him as to name him MVP.
“It’s a great feeling,” Rougeau said. “I’m glad they feel that way about me. Although I’m disappointed, today was a good day. We celebrated with fans and coaches and family. All we can do is make the most of it in the NIT right now.”
He had no preferences for who and where the Rebels play next.
“Doesn’t matter,” Rougeau said. “As long as we can keep playing, I’m not worried about that.”
Giving his all
Chopper Jones looked like his dog had just passed away. He shook his head. He bowed his head into his right hand. He typed away on his BlackBerry.
It was more serious than that.
Arizona had somehow squeaked into the NCAA tournament.
The tough guard who started his career at Arizona State with Kevin Kruger was astounded that the Sun Devils’ nemesis, which lost so badly to UNLV at the Mack, could get into the NCAAs.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said.
On a better note, he was touched that his teammates would pick him for the program’s most-inspirational award.
Anyone who has seen Chopper always go hard in practice, in fifth gear for every minute of every hour of every session, won’t be surprised by his hardware.
“It’s an honor to be chosen by my teammates,” Jones said. “It’s great the way they took to me like that and put up with me. They value what I bring. That’s all you could want.”
He has never given less than his full energy, he said.
“It’s the way I was taught to play the game,” Jones said. “The only thing you can control is your effort, how hard you work. Good things happen to those who work hard.”
UNLV basketball player, Tre'Von Willis looks on as NCAA tournament selections are announced Sunday after the 2009 Runnin' Rebel Banquet at Cox Pavilion.
No comment Tre
Sophomore guard Tre'Von Willis, with 11 points and 10 rebounds, recorded the first double-double of his career in the loss to San Diego State.
He and Adams were the only Rebels who played with fire.
But, as usual, Willis didn’t want to talk after the game. Since the loss to Cincinnati, he has not talked after defeats. In fact, he didn’t talk after two victories.
Sunday, he was asked for some words about his first season as a Rebel and about the NIT.
No, Willis said.
When pressed, when asked if he could talk about his first career double-double, he again declined.
“No, we lost,” Willis said. “It doesn’t matter.”
View from the bench
Chace Stanback, the outstanding forward who transferred to UNLV from UCLA and who will have three seasons left starting next fall, said this season will serve as motivation for him.
“We’re all very disappointed and we know what we have to do next year to work hard,” he said. “We learned from our mistakes this year. I learned a lot, just sitting on the bench, knowing what I have to to, what I have to bring to the table.
“I’m looking forward to next year.”
He did not mince his words when asked to detail what he learned on the bench this season.
“Always stay focused,” Stanback said. “Never take your mind off the goal that the team set. We all had a similar goal in the beginning of the season and I guess we somehow lost focus from that.
“For the seniors, we still want to continue to play so they can enjoy their last few games as Rebels. So we’re hoping to make a big impact on the NIT.”
Discussion: 17 comments so far…
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C'mon Tre.....I love your heart and fire on the court, but this "No Comment" act is making you look bad in my opinion.
If you are interested in being a leader on this team you need to step up and be a vocal leader off the court as well.
How are you feeling? What's crackin'? SOMETHING.
Macaroni and cheese, and Chicken fingers? Doesn't sound like much of a banquet.
Who is Jon Sandler? I guess he has to put a positive spin on the season but he's not fooling anybody. Mentioning the wins at Louisville and sweep of BYU, only highlights the gigantic dump we took mid season.
I remember at the the beginning of the season how all of the delusional Rebel fans were saying how this year was supposed to be so great and all. Now Kruger has UNLV in the pathetic NIT. As long as Kruger is coaching UNLV they are not going to be that good. Kruger is a mediocre coach that tends to peak in the middle of his coaching stops and then goes on a downward slide. Kruger has done this throughout his career at every school he has been at. His stop at UNLV is the same. He peaked two years ago and has been on a downward slide ever since.
Let's just hope that once this season is over that Kruger packs his bags and leaves UNLV.
Rob, any idea of the schedule next season? I'm hoping Kruger lines us up against five or six top 25 teams. Even if we go 2-3, 3-3 it's better than playing Northern Arizona and Texas Pan American every year.
Let's get a schedule with the likes of Gonzaga, UCLA, St Marys, Marquette, Connecticut. Facing that level of team will get us on national TV again, get that exposure we need, win or lose.
Utah played a tough schedule and while they didn't win them all it really helped their RPI.
I'm hoping LOUISVILLE comes back to the Mack next year as a final four or national championship team. We'd sell the mack out again and get back on national TV. It would be great for the box office and the program to beat them again. Of course, the fact we did beat them may have cause Pitino to axe the series.
rebfan4evr, take it easy there, son.
Going 3-2 in NCAA tournament games in the previous two season buys Kruger a little time to set it right.
If he doesn't turn it around next year then you'll have some ammo to put in that gun you're brandishing. Until then, put it back in the holster and hope we're dancing with the hoop stars this time next year.
Of course that's assuming you're actually a Rebel fan who wants the program to move up, and not just a troll looking for a rise.
Lenny, not exactly sure about next season's sked. It's being formulated and usually takes a little while, but they are at the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii. And they're trying to put something together with UCLA. I'll ck it out. Thx
Easy with the "Kruger has peaked talk". Yes, he recruited adelfi, roberson and hamga who all didn't pan out but that was becasue "they" lacked character and didn't buy into the team concept.
The much bigger problem was that this years Rebels didn't have a leader out on the floor who took control. Rene attempted but he didn't have his hands on the ball enough to influence the flow of play. I believe that Oscar learned much this year and he will be the driving force to get the Rebels back on track next year.
Mark my words, the Rebels will win the league and conference titles next year AND, of course, return to the dance. This will also be the start of Rebel dominance in the MWC once again.
Hopefully they will come to play on Tuesday but if not, football season is right around the corner!
Oh hey there RebelRobert aka rebfan4evr aka sufferin succotash, I'm surprised you haven't chimed in earlier and more often -- you're slacking!
Lon is great. He's going to be here awhile, get used to it.
Here's to the Rebels avoiding another buzzsaw and somehow making it to NYC...CHEERS!
Oscar will be the driving force? Are you serious? Derrickc Jasper will be manning the point for the next two years...and I am loving it!! How can you be called a fan if you don't even know who is going to be at the point? If we get Victor Rudd to play for us, the season is going to be insane!! I can't wait!!
I think a lineup with Stanback, Willis, Jasper, Shaw and Lopez will be pretty formidable next year.
After years of fielding players 6'6" and below, it looks like next year's team will have more size than any team Kruger has coached--at least out on the perimeter.
I like what Bellfield brought us at the beginning of the season when he wasn't trying to force anything and he was patient. The Louisville winner seemed to give him an abundance of confidence that didn't translate into him playing any better.
I'm also excited to see if Chopper Jones Jr. can bring anything on the court...
When is the Sun going to interview Derrick Jasper and get his thoughts on the game? Not much time left.
I wouldn't read too far into Tre'vons dislike for speaking to the media after losses or even wins. The guy came from Memphis who made it to the 2008 NCAA championship game while he sat out watching UNLV & this year has to watch Memphis dance it's way back to the Final 4 without him. It's gotta be even more paining to PARTICIPATE on this years squad & they wind up kicked to the NIT-curb with superior talent than the previous 3 clubs.
Perhaps he's playing out of position or perhaps he's not as good as he thinks he is? Hey, at least here in Vegas he's not riding the pine as he was for Calipari. He couldn't take much credit for success in Memphis sitting but he should man-up & take some criticism for the non-success he's actually contributed as a Rebel to date.
No Comment, means "No Comment" phurn. As Sureshot put it don't read too much into Tre not talking to the media either way. My question to Sureshot, Where did you play? Hiding behind sign-ons making cheap shots at any of these Rebels is soooo unnecessary. Let me give you a little insight on Tre. He's a BALLPLAYER, always have been that's it, that's all! He holds no grudges against Memphis because everything happens for a reason and you have to learn from all things. It's no revelation that he was playing out of position, but at least he tried. He's always played the "2". Left the state of California at the time 4th leading scorer of all times. Broke a Central 25 year ols section record as a freshman. Broke his High school alumni's scoring record where that player went straight to the NBA out of high school in 2000. I'd say he's better than alot of you fans give him credit for. You forgot he's playing with a bum shoulder, but somehow was leading or second leading scorer, rebounder or assistor several games out. He's a fierce competitor and for Sureshot and any other doubters of Tre-Get the facts before you unload your gun next time. "A Fool is known by a multitude of words". It's freedom of speech or an evocation of fifth amendment rights. Ssshhh
newyorkrebel, relax. We will have that exclusive up for your enjoyment in a matter of hours. No worries. Remember, we're here for you! :-)
Coach Gruger needs to play the big guys to afford the guards high percentage of field goals either from 2 or 3 point parameter. There are a lot of unsung big players from the deep south that frankly don't have the publicity like the so called McDonalds All-Americans.
The coach must stay away sometimes from the pool of the so called 5 STAR OR 4 STARS PLAYERS.
Coach Gruger must travel or send his assistants to the West, Mid-West, East Coast and the deep South for the players that are not "celebrity".
Good luck against Kentucky today. I'm a rebel for life win or lose.
Miech, you must be sorry now that you went to cover Kentucky. Dumbest guy I ever knew lived in Indiana. Moved to Kentucky and raised the IQ of both states.
Judging by the UK comments on this blog, he must have procreated.
Hey, how about those Oregon cheerleaders.
Trefan, as I said, don't read too far into his "No comment" comment, don't read too far into MY comment. Tre'von IS a baller but more importantly, he's a competitor. He's upset & rightfully so. Someone on that team needs to care. My only burn on Tre'von is there's certain ways to incite your team. Turning against it or the media certainly isn't it.