Notebook: Rebels left feeling generally positive about 2009-10 season

By Ryan Greene

Friday, March 19, 2010 | 2:14 a.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Maybe a true consensus won't be reached until the shock of a 69-66 loss to Northern Iowa on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA tournament wears off a bit.

In the immediate aftermath, UNLV players had generally positive feelings on whether to deem the 2009-10 season an overall success.

After graduating an accomplished senior class a year ago, few knew what to expect from the Rebels this season with so many fresh faces — be it transfers or freshmen — in the mix.

"It was a good season," junior guard Tre'Von Willis said. "No one put us here in the beginning. We were young; we only had a couple of veteran guys who had been here before. It was just disappointing we couldn't have gone further in the tournament."

Willis was without question the team's brightest spot this season, including averages of 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

He's also one of several key pieces returning next season. That list of returnees includes all five starters, plus the inclusion of 6-foot-8 Kansas transfer Quintrell Thomas and 6-foot-11 redshirting freshman Carlos Lopez.

Willis will headline a four-man senior class, which also includes Matt Shaw, Kendall Wallace and Derrick Jasper.

As for those getting their first taste of NCAA tournament experience Thursday night, a loss to Northern Iowa was enough to make everything feel a bit sour at the time.

"I feel like, as a team, we grew and bonded, but we didn't ultimately get our goal," said freshman guard Anthony Marshall, who emerged late in the season with the injury to Jasper. "But I feel like we had a good run."

Massamba OK

Sophomore forward Brice Massamba provided a scare to UNLV fans late in the first half when he went down in a heap clutching his knee after taking a charge.

He got up and walked off of the court under his own power alongside trainer Dave Tomchek, who examined his right knee.

Massamba, who visibly was in pain after the knee was collapsed on during the foul, returned to action to play four second-half minutes.

He left the locker room with ice packs wrapped around both the knee and his right heel.

Elsewhere in the MWC

The Mountain West Conference, which for the first time in its 11-year history got four teams into the NCAA tournament, broke even Thursday, going 2-2.

Earlier in the day in Oklahoma City, 7-seed BYU overcame a late four-point deficit in regulation to outlast Florida in double-overtime, 99-92. Jimmer Fredette and Michael Loyd Jr. combined to score 63 points for the Cougars, who face 2-seed Kansas State on Saturday back at the Ford Center.

In San Jose, New Mexico held serve as a 3-seed, holding off Montana late, 62-57. Roman Martinez and Dairese Gary combined for 34 points, while Las Vegas native Darington Hobson had 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Lobos. Steve Alford's club now faces 11-seed Washington on Saturday after the Huskies earlier upset Marquette.

The other MWC representative to fall was 11-seed San Diego State, who fell on the wrong end of a 62-59 decision in Providence against Tennessee.

The Aztecs, who were seeded surprisingly low after finishing the year off strong and winning the MWC tournament, were led by D.J. Gay with 16 points. Freshman Kawhi Leonard posted his 17th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, but missed a crucial 3-point shot late.

The final word

UNLV senior Steve Jones on watching the game-winning shot by UNI's Ali Farokhmanesh: "When they threw a skip pass, I saw who was open, I was like, 'This can't be happening.' Then I saw how deep it was and I thought, 'OK, he might miss it.' It went up. It was the slowest shot I'd ever seen, and then I was just like, 'This can't be happening.' My heart sunk."