Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

A list of players with Las Vegas ties in the NCAA Tournament

Demetris Morant — Florida Gulf Coast

Scott McIntyre / Naples Daily News via Associated Press

Florida Gulf Coast’s Demetris Morant dunks against Stetson during the first half of the NCAA college Atlantic Sun Basketball championship game Sunday, March 6, 2016, in Fort Myers, Fla.

When the NCAA Tournament starts today with the First Four, Las Vegas will be represented. And, no, not the massive amounts of money wagered legally here on the tournament.

Demetris Morant, a Bishop Gorman graduate and former UNLV player, is a junior post player with Florida Gulf Coast, who at 3:40 p.m. plays Fairleigh Dickinson University in Dayton, Ohio. Morant, who has battled leg injuries all season, is averaging 5.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

In the Atlantic Sun championship game against Stetson, he scored eight points in 12 minutes. He’s expected to start against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Others with local ties who will play in the Big Dance include:

• Oregon State made its first NCAA Tournament since 1990, being seeded No. 7 in the West. The Beavers’ best player is senior guard Gary Payton II, a Spring Valley High product who is averaging 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5. 1 assists per game.

• Fresno State is the Mountain West’s lone entry into the tournament. The Bulldogs have two from Las Vegas on their roster in reserve guard Sam Bittner of small-school Trinity Christian, and former Cheyenne and Desert Pines forward Nate Grimes. The freshman Grimes is red-shirting. Fresno, seeded. No. 14 in the Midwest, plays Utah. Utah assistant coach DeMarlo Slocum is an Eldorado High graduate.

• Bishop Gorman graduate Rashad Muhammad is redshirting with No. 3 seed Miami after transferring from San Jose State.

Ray Smith, a 2015 Las Vegas graduate, is redshirting with Arizona after tearing his ACL in the preseason.

Chase Jeter, the 2015 Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year, is a reserve post player with Duke, the No. 4 seed in the West Region.

Click to enlarge photo

Southern California's Julian Jacobs dribbles against Oregon during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Los Angeles. Oregon won 76-66.

• Desert Pines graduate Julian Jacobs helped USC return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011 as the No. 8 seed in the East Region. Jacobs led the Pac-12 Conference with 5.4 assists per game. Former UNLV guard Katin Reinhardt is also with the Trojans.

• Findlay Prep products Dillon Brooks (Oregon), Gavin Schilling (Michigan State) and Allonzo Trier (Arizona) should enjoy multigame tournament runs. Each are contributors.

Ryden Hines of Iona played at Impact Basketball Academy, a college preparatory program in Las Vegas.

• There are coaches with local ties, too. Most of Oklahoma’s staff — coach Lon Kruger and assistants Steve Henson, Lew Hill and Mike Shepard — used to be at UNLV. The Sooners are the No. 2 seed in the West Region. Villanova coach Jay Wright is a former UNLV assistant dating back to the 1990s.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21

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