Las Vegas Sun

April 26, 2024

REBELS BASKETBALL:

UNLV men’s basketball team to make international summer tour next August

New-look Rebels will benefit from 10 days of practices and exhibition games during otherwise dead period

Runnin' Down Under

UNLV Athletic Department

Members of UNLV’s men’s basketball team pose for a photo in front of downtown Sydney during their 2008 tour of Australia

The UNLV men's basketball team will be dusting off its passports late next August for a 10-day international summer tour, the Sun confirmed on Thursday morning.

Per NCAA rules, programs can make summer tours once every four years. Not only do teams benefit from playing in a handful of exhibition games, but it allows a valuable stretch of practices during what is normally a hands-off period as far as coaches working with their players.

As for UNLV's trip, specific dates and a destination have not yet been determined, but the list of possible spots is still relatively long.

The Rebels' last foreign trip was in 2008, when Lon Kruger took the team to Australia.

The timing is perfect for UNLV, as next summer, Dave Rice and his staff will be preparing for a 2012-13 season full of change.

After this season, the Rebels lose seniors Chace Stanback, Oscar Bellfield, Brice Massamba and Kendall Wallace to graduation. At the same time, they'll be welcoming in at least six newcomers. Among them will be sophomore USC transfer Bryce Jones and 2012 commits Daquan Cook, Katin Reinhardt and Demetris Morant. The staff still has two vacancies to fill in its 2012 recruiting class.

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