UNLV basketball team will have home with Mendenhall Center

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

When the UNLV basketball team takes the court Thursday at the North Gym inside the McDermott Physical Education Building, it will be practicing at a fourth different location on campus in less than a week.

The Rebels, who will be working out for the sixth time, also have trained at the Thomas & Mack Center, Cox Pavilion and South Gym.

The Thomas & Mack is their home arena, but the team can’t practice there this week because the Professional Bull Riders World Finals are occupying the facility through Sunday. In December, the team will be displaced for nearly two weeks to accommodate the National Finals Rodeo.

Come next year, however, this won’t be a problem.

The UNLV Mendenhall Center, a 38,000-square-foot facility being constructed a rock’s throw from the Thomas & Mack, will open before official practices start next year.

It has two courts, a film room, academic classrooms, a strength and conditioning area, and a training room. More importantly for the Rebels, this state-of-the-art complex will be strictly for their use.

During a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for the facility — a ceremony with donors, high-ranking school officials and other community notables — it was four players lingering near the side of the gathering who arguably had the biggest smiles.

Sophomore Justin Hawkins, redshirt freshman Carlos Lopez, freshman Karam Mashour and sophomore Mike Moser each took a shovel and joined the group moving dirt in the ceremonial groundbreaking.

“It looks amazing. It’s a great opportunity for the team,” Lopez said. “I’m going to love to have a place of our own to practice.”

Longtime UNLV supporter Bob Mendenhall, owner of Las Vegas Paving Corp., combined with donors Maury Gallagher Jr., Bill Paulos, Bill Worthman and Hope Anstett to fund the $11.7 million project. No state or athletic department funds were used.

Mendenhall in March gave $7 million to the project.

“Those younger players. Those are the guys who will really appreciate what’s going on,” UNLV coach Lon Kruger said.

The players will have around-the-clock access to the facility. If someone wants to work on free-throw shooting at 10 p.m. in the middle of the summer, it will be as easy as driving to campus. Previously, players would have to find a coach or school official to open a building.

“This gives us a place to practice morning or night, rain or shine,” Hawkins said.

While the facility will be a huge asset to the current players, its biggest benefit will likely come during recruiting. It’s the type of complex seen at nationally respected schools and something expected to be a major selling point with recruits.

“This is the cat’s meow of practice facilities. It has everything, all of the bells and whistles,” said Jim Livengood, UNLV’s athletic director.

“It is very needed, very necessary and very here,” he added.

The construction, which is being handled by Mendenhall’s company, is scheduled to be completed next September. Until then, the players will continue setting up shop at one of four courts on campus.

“Our reward would be for the athletes and coaches to consider the facility a sort of home away from home,” said Paula Mendenhall, Bob’s wife, who spoke on behalf of the family at the groundbreaking. “We are convinced education is the mainstay of a civilized world.”

James Dean Leavitt, the chairman of the Board of Regents, said the complex would help enhance the program’s image. He couldn’t hide his enthusiasm when talking about the longtime benefits.

“Athletics are the gateway to the university,” Leavitt said. “It’s how we introduce the university to the rest of the nation and the rest of the world.”