Chace Stanback says transferring to UNLV was the ‘greatest decision’ he has made

By Taylor Bern

Friday, March 2, 2012 | 9:30 p.m.

Chace Stanback came to UNLV looking for a chance.

After a freshman season spent at the end of UCLA’s bench, Stanback wanted to find a place that would give him an opportunity. A high school teammate’s phone call put the Rebels on his radar.

“(Former Rebel Matt Shaw) found out that I was transferring, he called me and said that he wanted me to come up and take a look at the school,” Stanback, a 6-foot-8 forward, said. “Ultimately, I definitely feel like I made the greatest decision.”

Four years later, Stanback is nearing the top 20 of all-time scorers at UNLV. Entering his final home game, Stanback ranks 22nd with 1,196 career points, just eight behind Tony Smith and 62 behind Jackie Robinson.

That’s an accomplishment, Stanback said, that one day he may look back on with pride. But right now it doesn’t mean anything because in his two full seasons, the Rebels have made two first-game exits in the NCAA Tournament.

This year, he’s the team’s second-leading scorer (13.4 points per game), but off the court his antics are second to none. Stanback constantly cracks up his teammates, and when you combine that with his stellar on-court play, it’s easy to see why teammates look to him.

“Chace Stanback has made so many big plays in so many big games," UNLV coach Dave Rice said. "Our guys all get confidence from Chace."

At the end of December, Stanback put up one of the most prolific displays of perimeter shooting you will ever see. Over a four-game stretch, he hit 21-of-29 behind the 3-point line, which is better than 72 percent. More important, the Rebels went 4-0.

He has his eyes set on a legacy that includes leading UNLV deep into the tournament. “The season’s not over yet, so you never know,” he said. “We might have some great memories to come.”

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