Ryan Greene

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Take Five: A closer look at UNLV's personnel for the 2011-12 season: Rebels will have a dearth of bigger bodies, intriguing new additions and an opening for an 'alpha dog' next year; Monday, March 21, 2011; It's going to be a long offseason for the UNLV men's basketball program following a brutal ending on Friday night in its NCAA tournament opener. The Rebels were run out of Tulsa's BOK Center in 73-62 fashion, and attention immediately turned to what the team will look like in 2011-12. That's when UNLV will pursue its fifth tournament bid in six years, but the pressure to get out of its first weekend for the first time since 2007 will be high. Last summer was an eventful one for the program for many of the wrong reasons, and coach Lon Kruger is hoping this one is a bit quieter. If all things stay the same in terms of on-court personnel, here's an early look at what to expect next season.
UNLV blasted by Illinois, 73-62, sent packing early from NCAAs yet again: Rebels' ugliest offensive half of the 2010-11 season, poor defensive execution lead to early exit; Saturday, March 19, 2011; TULSA, Okla. — So much of this season's success for the UNLV men's basketball team depended on the health of senior stalwart Tre'Von Willis's balky, battle-worn lower body.
UNLV's season ends with a thud in 73-62 loss to Illinois: Rebels fall flat in NCAA tournament opener for second straight year, close out season at 24-9; Friday, March 18, 2011; TULSA, Okla. — And now the focus turns to next season. For the second year in a row, the UNLV men's basketball team was bounced from the NCAA tournament in the first round, this time getting run out of Tulsa's BOK Center by Illinois, 73-62 on Friday night. The Illini went up for good early, thanks to a 15-0 run when UNLV trailed by just two at 14-12. They took a 46-24 lead into the half, and even though UNLV showed some more punch after the break on the offensive end, it could not recover from one of its worst halves of the season.
Demetri McCamey, Illini brand name has UNLV's attention entering NCAA tourney: Rebels head into Friday's NCAA opener knowing that Illini success stems from 6-foot-4 senior point guard; Friday, March 18, 2011; TULSA, Okla. — He's college basketball's ultimate box of chocolates. When it comes to Illinois senior point guard Demetri McCamey, you never know what your'e going to get — it can be masterful, it can be rough or it can be somewhere in that vast gray area in between.
Oscar Bellfield, UNLV out to avenge postseason setbacks in Tulsa: Following loss to San Diego State on Friday night, last year's NCAA set-back, seasoned Rebels confident; Thursday, March 17, 2011; He's hit as many big, clutch shots as anyone in a UNLV uniform over the last seasons, but Oscar Bellfield took off for Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday on a mission to remove a couple of thorns from his side.
A look at Thursday's first round match-ups for BYU, San Diego State: Aztecs, Cougars out to justify high NCAA tournament seeds; Thursday, March 17, 2011; The Mountain West's two other participants in this year's NCAA tournament — BYU and San Diego State — begin their quests for the second weekend and beyond on Thursday. Here's a look at their opening round match-ups, what they'll need to do to win and avoid doing in order to stay out of trouble.
UNLV redshirt Reggie Smith goes back a long way with Illinois freshman duo: Marquette transfer will become eligible just in time this December for regular season battle with Illini; Wednesday, March 16, 2011; While Reggie Smith was on his recruiting visit to UNLV after deciding to transfer from Marquette this winter, the Rebels' coaching staff had a unique selling point to throw at him. They told him that if he came, the first game he'd be eligible to play in during the 2011-12 season — following the conclusion of the fall semester — would be against Illinois at the United Center on Chicago's West Side. But what's tough on the redshirting freshman, a native of the Windy City's south suburbs, is that he won't be able to be on the floor for UNLV when it faces the Illini in Friday's NCAA tournament showdown in Tulsa, Okla.
Tough season now includes shot at UNLV for former Findlay Prep star D.J. Richardson: Richardson looks back fondly at lone season spent in the desert, hopes to rediscover his non-conference season shooting touch; Tuesday, March 15, 2011; D.J. Richardson always was and still is a Central Illinois kid at heart. Born and raised in one-time hoops hotbed Peoria, the 6-foot-3 guard now plays his college ball 90 miles southeast of his hometown at Illinois in rural Champaign.
Breaking down the rest of UNLV's pod in Tulsa: Kansas poses a monster threat to whoever triumphs in Friday's UNLV-Illinois showdown; Monday, March 14, 2011; UNLV will head to its fourth NCAA tournament in the last five years later this week. The Rebels drew a No. 8 seed on Sunday and take on No. 9 Illinois this Friday night, and have an uphill climb ahead of them if they want to make it into the to the tourney's second weekend.
Dancing with old friends: UNLV's NCAA draw includes Illinois, storylines galore: For third time in four years, Rebels on 8/9 line across from top-seeded Kansas in first weekend; Sunday, March 13, 2011; UNLV will be dancing with a few old friends this weekend when it makes its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years. The feeling at the Cox Pavilion among the UNLV players and coaches after it was announced Sunday that the Rebels drew a No. 8 seed and would face No. 9 Illinois in Tulsa, Okla., was a bit mixed.
San Diego State gets over the BYU hump, earning MWC tourney title, 72-54: Las Vegas native Billy White pulls off superb 21-point, 12-rebound, 5-steal effort for Aztecs; Saturday, March 12, 2011; If there's a way to make a guy look off of his game despite scoring 30 points, San Diego State figured out how on Saturday afternoon. By pestering BYU star guard Jimmer Fredette to no end while silencing his supporting cast, the Aztecs claimed their second consecutive Mountain West Conference tournament title at the Thomas & Mack Center in 72-54 fashion.
After back-to-back losing seasons, Utah fires Jim Boylen: With a move to the Pac-12 on the horizon, Utes look for an attractive replacement; Saturday, March 12, 2011; Just before his 41st birthday, Jim Boylen became a head coach for the first time. Four years later, the charismatic Utah coach was shown the door by athletic director Chris Hill. The move was announced on Saturday morning via a school press release, but it was widely speculated that this would happen for quite some time this season as the losses piled up faster than normal for the U
Selection Sunday awaits UNLV following 74-72 loss to San Diego State in MWC semis: Aztecs notch eighth win in last nine tries against Rebels thanks to D.J. Gay's late heroics; Saturday, March 12, 2011; For the third time this season, UNLV had a shot to take down mighty San Diego State in the final minutes. For the third time this season, the opportunity crumbled into an agonizing defeat.
San Diego State outlasts UNLV to advance to MWC title game, 74-72: D.J. Gay hits game-winning shot from up close with 4.9 seconds remaining to give Aztecs the win; Friday, March 11, 2011; UNLV had a shot at the go-ahead bucket with less than 30 seconds to play, but a lob toss to Chace Stanback was broken up, setting the stage for San Diego State's eight win in nine tries against the Rebels in the last three years. D.J. Gay controlled the ball, knifed the lane and hit a floater with 4.9 seconds remaining to give San Diego State a 74-72 victory over UNLV.
After pushing Air Force aside, 69-53, UNLV sets up another shot at No. 7 SDSU: Rebels, Aztecs to square off in Friday's second semifinal with NCAA seeding implications on both sides; Friday, March 11, 2011; All UNLV had to do was push aside Air Force in Thursday's Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinal round nightcap to set the stage for what could be an epic night of college hoops at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday. No sweat.
New Mexico ousts Colorado State; Will third win over BYU get Lobos back in bubble conversation?: Drew Gordon, A.J. Hardeman combine for 23 points and 22 rebounds in Lobos' 21st win of season; Thursday, March 10, 2011; This year's NCAA tournament bubble will only exist for about another 48 hours, but does it have room for one more team? New Mexico just might have a chance to get in the conversation Friday night. Though it's still a very outside possibility that the Lobos (21-11) can make themselves a legitimate at-large candidate following two months of bubble irrelevance, they'll get a shot at a third victory over Mountain West Conference co-regular season champ BYU on Friday night in the league tournament semifinals.
UNLV advances to face San Diego State on Friday night with 69-53 victory over Air Force: Rebels bomb away and hit 11 3-pointers, setting up epic Friday night of semis; Thursday, March 10, 2011; UNLV hit 11 3-pointers on Thursday night, easily dispatching of Air Force in the Mountain West Conference tournament quarterfinals. That sets up what promises to be an awesome night of hoops at the Mack, with the first semifinal at 6 p.m. featuring New Mexico and BYU, followed by UNLV and San Diego State at 8:30. Chace Stanback was responsible for six of those bombs, scoring 20 points. Tre'Von Willis also tallied 20 for the Rebels to go with his eight assists and seven rebounds.
Live from the MWC Tourney: Aztecs earn trip to semis with 64-50 dusting of Utah: San Diego State now awaits UNLV-Air Force winner; Thursday, March 10, 2011; The second half was far from pretty, but San Diego State was in control the whole way in a 64-50 victory over Utah in the day's third quarterfinal. The Aztecs now await the UNLV-Air Force winner in hopes of remaking last year's dream Friday night semifinal round.
UNLV once again will try to speed up Air Force in MWC tournament opener: Rebels hope to atone for mid-season home victory over Falcons that felt more like a loss; Thursday, March 10, 2011; As far as the 2010-11 season goes for the UNLV men's basketball team, it's known as the win that didn't really feel like a win. That game was the Rebels' 49-42 victory over Air Force at the Thomas & Mack Center on Feb. 15. It was the type of game that frustrated those taking part while putting those around the court to sleep.
Tre'Von Willis 'shocked' by second team All-Mountain West Conference nod: Juniors Oscar Bellfield, Chace Stanback earn third team mention; Sophomore Anthony Marshall snubbed; Tuesday, March 8, 2011; When UNLV coach Lon Kruger huddled his team up following Monday's practice, he announced that Tre'Von Willis, Chace Stanback and Oscar Bellfield were earlier in the day named All-Mountain West Conference performers, Willis had a blank stare on his face. A recent surge towards the end of the season made up for Willis's tough start in conference play, and he was given second team All-MWC honors.
Findlay Prep's Myck Kabongo the latest Canadian to go from Henderson to McDonald's All-American: Texas-bound senior proud of growing Canadian influence in prep basketball's top all-star showcase; Tuesday, March 8, 2011; In the Findlay Prep basketball offices on the Henderson International School campus, the first thing to catch your eyes is a trio of framed jerseys along the back wall. Next year, a fourth will be added. The three currently hanging are the McDonald's All-American jerseys of former Pilots Avery Bradley, Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson.
Unveiling the Sun's 2010-11 MWC hoops postseason honorees: Before the winners are announced on Monday afternoon, here's a look at UNLV beat writer Ryan Greene's ballot; Sunday, March 6, 2011; Media members from around the Mountain West Conference this weekend submitted ballots for the league's postseason honorees and award-winners. As has become a tradition of mine, here is a look at how I voted, accompanied by some explanations along the way.
UNLV cruises into Mountain West tournament after 78-58 slashing of Utah: Well-rounded effort helps UNLV lock up third place in MWC, set up Thursday quarterfinal match-up with Air Force; Saturday, March 5, 2011; SALT LAKE CITY — Other than one bloody nose, pretty much everything went UNLV's way in its regular season finale on Saturday afternoon — a 78-58 pounding of Utah. With that, a team that was on the ropes just a couple of weeks ago enters this week's Mountain West Conference tournament as winners of five straight, finishing up 23-7 overall and 11-5 in the league.
UNLV blasts Utah, 78-58, will face Air Force in MWC tournament quarterfinals: Rebels will face Falcons at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night at the Mack, finish regular season at 23-7; Saturday, March 5, 2011; SALT LAKE CITY — No one had to do too much, there was never a tense moment and UNLV ultimately cruises into the Mountain West tournament off of a 78-58 ripping of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon. Tre'Von Willis, Oscar Bellfield and Quintrell Thomas each scored 12 points for the Rebels in one of the season's more well-rounded efforts.
Off of brief hiatus, UNLV hopes to maintain recent consistency in finale at Utah: While there's been plenty of recent activity atop the MWC standings, Rebels have been at peace; Friday, March 4, 2011; In the last two weeks, the pieces have shuffled so much in the upper half of the Mountain West Conference standings that, at times, it's been hard to keep up with. But UNLV, for a change, has been the one consistent team in that group, with everything shifting around it as the regular season enters its final weekend. The Rebels (22-7 overall, 10-5 Mountain West) have won four in a row for the first time in league play this season, and now try to head into next week's league tourney as strong as possible. They'll travel to face Utah (13-16, 6-9) on Saturday in a 1 p.m. regular season finale.
Five Questions with UNLV coach Lon Kruger: As the regular season draws to a close, the Rebels' seventh-year coach reflects on the regular season that was; Friday, March 4, 2011; With the regular season coming to an end this weekend in Utah, UNLV has all but locked up its fourth NCAA tournament bid in the last five seasons. It certainly wasn't the smoothest of roads to get to this point, but the Rebels persevered through some major struggles during the middle portion of the 2010-11 slate and avoided taking a step back as a program. With postseason play just on the horizon, Sun UNLV beat writer Ryan Greene took a few minutes this week to sit down with coach Lon Kruger to discuss the up-and-down regular season that was.
Kendall Wallace's rehab takes next step as he rejoins Rebels on practice floor: Redshirt junior sharp-shooter has overcome physical and mental hurdles over past seven months; Thursday, March 3, 2011; Seven months removed from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, UNLV guard Kendall Wallace can already see the improvement in his golf swing. "I don't go so aggressive at the ball anymore," he said with a grin. "I slowed down." Wallace will have plenty of time down the road to refine his game on the course. The focus on getting back in touch with his skills on the basketball court right now takes precedence, and it cranked up a notch late last week. Last Friday, the redshirt junior returned to team drills at practice and, unlike at the driving range, is hoping to get back to full speed as soon as possible.
A late-season surge has UNLV poised for a postseason run: Wednesday, March 2, 2011; The Rebels appear poised to secure their fourth NCAA tourney bid in five seasons.
Matured Phillip Payne has clean slate and is out for redemption in 2011: Rebels star receiver, whose 2010 season was thrown off by Twitter incident, is ready to shine again; Tuesday, March 1, 2011; About 30,000 feet in the air and somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, UNLV receiver Phillip Payne realized that everything was going to be OK at the conclusion of a junior season that was equal parts frustrating and confusing. It was on the long flight back from a 59-21 loss at Hawaii, capping off a less-than-stellar 2-11 campaign, when Payne and first-year coach Bobby Hauck sat and talked for a while. The heart-to-heart session centered around putting an unsightly social networking incident from early October that derailed Payne's already sub-par 2010 campaign behind them for good.
Mountain West hoops power rankings: Feb. 28: Monday, Feb. 28, 2011; For the first time this season, we have a change atop the rankings, and really, there's very little debating it. Meanwhile, the middle of the pack continues to be a jumble, and will be the most interesting portion to watch as we head into the final week of the regular season. Let's get down to it ...
UNLV closes out home schedule in smooth fashion with 90-77 rout of Wyoming: Chace Stanback's 19 points lead five Rebels in double-figures; Kruger's club takes sole possession of third place in MWC; Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011; It had been a while since UNLV had a ho-hum victory. And it couldn't have come at a better time. Off of a grueling two-game sweep on the road over the last week and heading into a much-needed mini-break, the Rebels got out front early and cruised to a 90-77 victory over Wyoming on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV heads into short break with 90-77 rout of Wyoming at the Mack: Rebels romp on senior night, with five scoring in double figures.; Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011; Tyler Norman's scoop shot in the final minute was a fitting ending to a Senior Night romp for UNLV, who ran away from Wyoming, 90-77. The regulars got to watch the finish from the bench after five players scored in double figures and UNLV improved to 22-7 overall and 10-5 in Mountain West play.
Through physical struggles, reaching Senior Night an accomplishment for Jasper: Rebels swingman has overcome balky left knee to remain a contributor; now eyeing life after playing days; Friday, Feb. 25, 2011; Five years ago, Derrick Jasper's plans beyond high school, in his mind, were set. As a dynamic, explosive and gifted point guard prospect out of Paso Robles (Calif.) High, he was one of the nation's elite basketball recruits. He figured he'd spend a year or two at Kentucky, and then it was off to the NBA. He's not the first high-profile prep athlete to see the blueprint change, and he certainly won't be the last. Now 22 years old, Jasper's was altered largely due to circumstances that were out of his control, and he's ready to make the most of what he has left on the court.
Quintrell Thomas gets UNLV over the hump in 77-74 overtime win at New Mexico: Sophomore forward goes for 19 points, 13 rebounds as Rebels complete sweep of crucial two-game road swing; Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011; ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Running up the famed, steep ramp to the visitor's locker room at The Pit one last time on Wednesday night, UNLV's Quintrell Thomas finally realized just how gassed he was. It was just moments earlier when, while running on a mixture of fumes and adrenaline, the sophomore forward capped off the finest performance of his young collegiate career. He carried the Rebels through a grueling five-minute overtime period in a 77-74 victory at New Mexico.
Quintrell Thomas's late surge powers UNLV to 77-74 overtime win at New Mexico: Sophomore forward posts career-high 19 points to go with 13 boards in monster road victory; Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011; ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — UNLV forward Quintrell Thomas has slowly come out of his shell in conference play, and may have completely broken through on Wednesday night. The Kansas transfer scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a thrilling 77-74 overtime victory at New Mexico, improving UNLV to 21-7 overall and 9-5 in Mountain West play. It pulled UNLV into a tie in the loss column with Colorado State for third place in the league. The Rams lost earlier in the night at BYU, 84-76, and UNLV swept a crucial two-game road trip.
UNLV out to sweep crucial two-game road swing at New Mexico: After securing a must-win on Saturday at Colorado State, Rebels hope to avoid letdown; Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011; By winning on Saturday at Colorado State, UNLV accomplished plenty. The Rebels (20-7 overall, 8-5 Mountain West) solidified their NCAA tournament résumé, put themselves in prime position for a third place finish in the league and shook off some cobwebs on offense with a blistering second half performance in the 68-61 victory. Many thought that heading into the critical two-game road swing, which concludes at 7 p.m. Wednesday night against New Mexico (17-10, 5-7) at The Pit, UNLV badly needed a split at the very least. With one win in the books, even though UNLV has a little wiggle room heading back on the road, the Rebels don't want to think of it in that manner.
Mountain West hoops power rankings: Feb. 22: Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011; The top two spots are again solid, but under the surface, the rest of the league continues to shift around. UNLV's monster win at Colorado State over the weekend and Utah's wild buzzer-beater to upset New Mexico in The Pit forced a decent amount of movement. If you're wanting to see San Diego State's stranglehold of the No. 1 ranking loosen, check back in a week, because it will if the Aztecs don't take care of BYU on their home floor next Saturday. For now, on to this week's rankings …
Bellfield keys monster second half for UNLV in 68-61 win at Colorado State: Junior guard a catalyst with four 3-pointers after the break as Rebels notch 20th win; Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011; FORT COLLINS, Colo. — When the door to the visitor's locker room in the corner of Moby Arena swung open on Saturday night, the celebration that could be heard had an accent of relief to it. Pressure had begun to mount on UNLV in the last week, after letting a late lead slip in a 53-47 loss to No. 6 San Diego State, then winning in the ugliest of fashions over Air Force four days later, 49-42. With their NCAA tournament at-large profile on the line, the Rebels got a win that they could feel good about in Fort Collins, Colo., over surging Colorado State in 68-61 fashion.
Bellfield's huge second half keys UNLV's 68-61 win at Colorado State: Junior guard hits four treys, assists on clinching bucket as UNLV grabs 20th win of season; Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011; FORT COLLINS, Colo. — One of UNLV's most criticized outside shooters this conference season figured it out when it mattered the most. Junior Oscar Bellfield hit four 3-pointers in the second half, then to finish it off, assisted Anthony Marshall's game-clinching layup in the final minute. UNLV got a much-needed 68-61 win at Colorado State. The victory gets UNLV to 20-7 overall and 8-5 in MWC play, helps solidify the Rebels' NCAA tournament profile and gives them a much clearer shot at a third-place finish in the league.
Stripped of its colors, UNLV heads out for monster showdown with Colorado State: Rebels, Rams meet on Saturday at Moby Arena with huge NCAA tournament implications on the line; Friday, Feb. 18, 2011; At Thursday's practice, UNLV senior guard Tre'Von Willis ran around in a pair of his old purple and black game shorts from Washington Union High back in Fresno. Oscar Bellfield donned some black and orange trunks with a faded logo from a tournament he played in somewhere along the way and a nondescript white tank top.
Mountain West hoops power rankings: Feb. 17: Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011; We're entering the stretch run, and the top of the league is still intact. Behind San Diego State and BYU, though? It's still a jam. Let's explore …
UNLV notches sloppy 49-42 victory over Air Force, sets up huge Saturday clash: Rebels survive scare from Falcons, head off to face Colorado State in rematch with major postseason implications; Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011; Well, at least it's over. In what's become a recent tradition of sorts, the annual UNLV-Air Force meeting at the Thomas & Mack Center was slow, sloppy and forgettable. The Rebels came out of it on the right side, downing the Falcons 49-42, but it was far from an inspiring performance as Lon Kruger's club now turns its focus to Saturday's monster of a game at Colorado State.
UNLV downs Air Force in low-scoring affair, 49-42: Rebels tie lowest offensive output of 2009-10 season, but now 19-7 overall, 7-5 in MWC; Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011; Pretty, it was not. It wasn't even close, actually. But a win is a win, and at this point, UNLV will take it, grinding out a 49-42 victory over Air Force on Tuesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Rebels trailed at the half, 23-22, and didn't recover the lead until there were under 10 minutes left to play. Thanks to a bevy of misses on the offensive end by the Falcons, UNLV hung on.
UNLV lands commitment from high-powered scoring guard Dantley Walker: 5-foot-11 senior sharp-shooter from Lincoln County High will serve 2-year mission, join Rebels in 2013-14 season; Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011; Lon Kruger still has one scholarship to give for next season, and four more to dole out to prospects in the 2012 class. But, oddly enough, the 2013 recruiting haul continues to gain strength for UNLV.
Wiggle room running out for UNLV, who experts say is still in NCAA tourney field: Rebels host Air Force on Tuesday night at the Mack with monster two-game road swing on the horizon; Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011; While winning Saturday's home game against San Diego State would have helped solidify UNLV's NCAA tournament résumé, the 63-57 loss certainly didn't kill it. What it did, though, was make this week as pressure-packed as they come for the Rebels (18-7 overall, 6-5 Mountain West). They'll host Air Force on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. in front of what will likely be a sparse crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center. After that comes a trip to face Colorado State on Saturday afternoon.
Familiar February Territory: UNLV clipped again by No. 6 SDSU, 63-57: Rebels 18-7 overall, 6-5 in MWC and left with no wiggle room in quest for NCAA tournament bid; Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011; Another opportunity for UNLV to solidify its NCAA tournament résumé has come and gone, and after a tough-to-swallow 63-57 loss at home to No. 6 San Diego State, the word "bubble" is now officially a part of the vernacular.
UNLV crumbles late, No. 6 SDSU prevails with 63-57 win at the Mack: Rebels squander slim late lead, now 6-5 in MWC and wiggle room all but gone; Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011; UNLV had its chance, leading No. 6 San Diego State late, 55-54, on Saturday afternoon. Then the Rebels mysteriously went away from the attacking style that had helped them overcome a double-digit deficit, missing a handful of late late 3-pointers en route to a 63-57 loss.
UNLV out for marquee MWC win with No. 6 San Diego State in town: Aztecs expect better shooting from Rebels, while UNLV hopes to pay back potential sell-out crowd; Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011; Following a 55-49 loss at San Diego State on Jan. 12, UNLV bemoaned a handful of missed open shots down the stretch that could have helped it sneak out of Viejas Arena with a huge road upset. The SDSU players remember those possessions, too.
UNLV offense snaps frustrating drought in 94-79 victory at TCU: Rebels score a season-high 94 points in finest offensive showing of the 2010-11 season.; Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011; FORT WORTH, Texas — On Wednesday night, UNLV again finally looked like the team that blitzed through opponents at will during a 9-0 start to the season. Go figure, it was a game that no one outside of TCU's Daniel-Meyer Coliseum could see. Bitter conditions outside not only led to a crowd of fewer than 1,000, but they forced TCU's campus to close on Wednesday, meaning that a student-run production of the game that would have run on The Mtn. was also cancelled. What was witnessed by only a few was the Rebels shooting 61.4 percent from the floor and hitting 11 of 17 3-point tries in a 94-79 rout of the Horned Frogs.
UNLV thumps TCU, 94-79, setting up Saturday's showdown with No. 6 SDSU: Stanback, Willis each score 20-plus points apiece while Thomas adds double-double; Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011; FORT WORTH, Texas — Four days after one of its worst offensive performances of the season, UNLV had one of its best in a 94-79 rout of TCU on Wednesday night at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Tre'Von Willis came off of the bench to lead all scorers with a season-high 23 points, while Chace Stanback tallied 24. The Rebels (18-6 overall, 6-4 Mountain West) as a team were 35-of-57 from the floor and 11-of-17 from 3-point range. Oscar Bellfield added 13 points, while Quintrell Thomas inside had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.