Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

unlv basketball:

Brice Massamba suffering from concussion-like symptoms

UNLV vs. Hawaii Basketball

Marco Garcia / Associated Press

UNLV guard Oscar Bellfield (0) dribbles past Hawaii guard Shaquille Stokes (4) during the first half of the Rebels’ game against Hawaii on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Honolulu.

UNLV vs. Hawaii Basketball

UNLV guard Anthony Marshall (3) moves the ball during the second half of the Rebels' game against Hawaii on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Honolulu. Launch slideshow »

HONOLULU — Senior center Brice Massamba is suffering concussion-like symptoms after getting hit in the head by Hawaii center Vander Joaquim’s forearm.

Massamba and Joaquim were battling for a rebound after Joaquim missed a shot. Massamba went down to the court immediately after the play, which occurred with a little less than 19 minutes left in the second half.

The action continued at the other end of the court until UNLV’s Anthony Marshall committed a turnover and play was stopped so that Massamba could receive attention.

Massamba looked very dazed and his legs were wobbly as assistant coach Stacey Augmon and a trainer helped him to his feet and off the court. Before going all the way to the locker room, Massamba stopped at a trashcan in the Stan Sheriff Center tunnel and appeared to vomit.

Massamba played just five total minutes because of foul trouble in the first half.

After the game, Massamba was coherent and spoke with a few fans. He was able to fly back with the team, which will arrive in Las Vegas around 7 a.m. this morning.

He will undergo further tests in the next few days.

Second-half team

In the second half against Hawaii, UNLV shot 51.6 percent from the field.

This was the 10th game out of 17 this season in which the Rebels shot at least 50 percent in the second half.

On Saturday, their second-half total was about 14 percent better than they shot in the first half, raising the Rebels' game total to 44.1 percent.

For the record

UNLV is 15-2 for the first time since 1992-93, when the Rebels opened the season at 16-2.

They will have a chance to match that mark on Thursday in their final non-conference game of the season at Cal State Bakersfield.

The best start prior to 1992-93 was the previous year, when coach Jerry Tarkanian’s final team finished the season 26-2, including a perfect 18-0 in the Big West.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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