Notebook: Refreshed Rebels back on practice floor after break

By Ryan Greene

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 | 2:15 a.m.

If it feels like UNLV has had more away games to this point in the 2010-11 season than most Top 25-caliber teams normally would, well, that's because Lon Kruger's club has.

The Rebels reconvened Sunday night from their first extended break of the year, as the team was given four days off following last Tuesday's 63-59 victory in Kansas City, Mo., over then-No. 11 Kansas State.

That ended a 13-game run to start the season in which UNLV (11-2) played seven games outside of Las Vegas. Among the teams in the new AP Top 25 poll unveiled Monday morning, only two (No. 7 San Diego State and No. 9 Georgetown) had played that many truly away from home.

"It's kind of been like an NBA schedule being away for so many games," sophomore guard Anthony Marshall said. "Now, looking back on it, we did need this break."

During practices on Sunday evening and Monday afternoon, Kruger wasted no time in focusing his team on its recent deficiencies.

Plenty of time was spent on moving without the ball on offense, outside shooting and rebounding. Kruger was plenty animated, but the life on the court was bumped up from where it had been toward the end of the killer stretch.

Everyone looked fresher, both mentally and physically.

Without having to worry as much about preserving legs and energy, Kruger ran both practices longer than normal.

"You get to refresh your legs, little aches and pains go away, now back in the gym, we feel good," Marshall said.

Stanback hopes break helps snap funk

From a mental standpoint, the chance to get out of town and reset focus might pay the biggest dividends for junior forward Chace Stanback.

Still the team's leading scorer at 13.2 ppg, he's shooting a strong 51.2 percent from the floor.

However, it's become apparent in the last four games that the team performs much better as a whole at the offensive end when Stanback's mid-range and outside shots are falling.

While UNLV has struggled as a team to score consistently in that stretch, he's 13-of-39 from the floor and 5-of-17 from deep.

The Rebels don't necessarily need him to be as hot as he was during the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif., over Thanksgiving weekend, but simply more consistent.

"A lot of people were stressed about the way they were playing, not making shots, and a lot of us are in a shooting slump right now," he said. "It's definitely just a mental thing. I just have to know that my next shot's going in. I just have to focus on my mechanics, and the shots will fall for me."

While not hitting shots regularly may be forcing Stanback to hang his head a bit during recent games, he still says the overall confidence is there.

"You can't miss them all," he said with a laugh. "I maintain that same confidence, and I'll keep shooting."

Rebels remain unranked

For the second consecutive week, UNLV was left on the outside of both Top 25 polls. But the Rebels are as close to the front door as a team can get.

After knocking off K-State, UNLV got enough votes to occupy the first spot in the "others receiving votes" portion of both the AP and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls.

K-State rebounded from the loss to UNLV by downing UMKC on Thursday, but the 10-3 Wildcats slipped to 17th in both rankings.

In the Mountain West, 14-0 San Diego State remained at No. 7 in both, while 12-1 BYU is unanimously at No. 16.

Next up

Marshall said he believes the time off for the team will result in an active, aggressive performance Thursday night in the team's non-conference finale.

In the 7 p.m. contest at the Thomas & Mack Center, UNLV will host Central Michigan (3-9), who has struggled early on after being projected before the season as one of the Mid-American Conference's top teams.

Outside of an unsightly 75-49 home loss to Detroit on Dec. 18, the Chippewas' losses have come by an average margin of 5.5 points.

What's plaguing CMU is its offense. Only two of the team's eight regulars are shooting better than 40 percent from the floor, while lead guards Trey Zeigler and Amir Rashid are both averaging more turnovers than assists per game.

Zeigler will be the guy to focus on, though.

The true freshman is the son of coach Ernie Zeigler, and was ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 28 overall recruit in the class of 2010. He chose to stay home and play for his father, bucking offers from UCLA, Michigan State, Arizona, Duke and several others.

So far this season, Zeigler is second on the team, averaging 15.2 points per game to go with his 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and three turnovers a contest. He's shooting 39.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from deep.