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UNLV opens Mountain West hoops play Saturday against rival San Diego State astatine the Thomas & Mack Center.
Translation: It’s prove-it clip for the Rebels.
Kevin Kruger, successful his archetypal play arsenic UNLV’s coach, brings an 8-5 squad into league play.
It’s besides 1 that has gone 8-0 against teams extracurricular the Kenpom Top 100 and 0-5 against those wrong it. San Diego State (8-3) is 43rd, 2nd successful the league to preseason favourite Colorado State (34th). UNLV is 126th.
One crippled surely doesn’t marque for a league season. Not adjacent close. But it could acceptable a code for UNLV.
“This is what the nonconference prepared america for arsenic champion we could,” Kruger said. “Teams similar San Diego State — idiosyncratic who has carried the torch successful this league for a agelong clip and is ever competing successful March. When you deliberation San Diego State, you deliberation toughness and competitors.”
Conference play astir often means a manager thinning his rotation to 8 oregon truthful players, and that’s adjacent to what Kruger has already employed with a roster that includes 10 caller faces. Nine players mean astatine slightest 12.5 minutes.
He plays those who nutrient and hasn’t paused to beryllium immoderate of his champion erstwhile they don’t.
Not a surprise: Bryce Hamilton leads UNLV successful scoring with an 18.6 average. But much important lately, guardant Donovan Williams has emerged arsenic a secondary option, getting to the rim acold much often and averaging 12.5 points successful the process.
Potential issue: Freely attacking the overgarment and uncovering occurrence against Hartford and Omaha is 1 thing. But doing truthful against San Diego State is simply a full different issue.
“I cognize they’re a pugnacious squad that battles hard and competes relentlessly until the end,” UNLV guardant Royce Hamm Jr. said. “But I similar hard-fought, carnal games. Definitely going to beryllium that benignant of game. We’ll person to spot who throws the archetypal punch.”
Kruger’s main hope, too a victory: That his squad plays a afloat 40 minutes. That it understands the value of being locked successful and competing. Put it each retired there. Fight the full way. Play for each other.
“We got nary accidental if we don’t,” Kruger said.
History suggests the Rebels are successful for a battle: San Diego State is 11-1 successful its past 12 games against UNLV astatine the Thomas & Mack. Since the 2008-09 season, nary Division I squad has much roadworthy wins (16) against an hostile than the Aztecs person against the Rebels.
But determination is besides this: The crippled volition beryllium televised nationally connected CBS. Since 2010, San Diego State is 4-13 connected that web and has mislaid six of its past seven.
There aren’t galore secrets erstwhile it comes to this one: San Diego State is simply a apical 10 antiaircraft squad nationally, allowing an mean of 58.5 points. While the Rebels person scored astatine a 71.5 clip, they’ve inactive struggled mightily astatine times making shots.
So person the Aztecs. The Rebels are shooting 43 percent from the tract and 32 percent connected 3s. San Diego State shoots 43 percent and 33 percent connected 3s.
Grind it out, folks. Which broadside executes the champion successful those last 5 grueling minutes mightiness determine the outcome.
“UNLV is precise talented,” San Diego State manager Brian Dutcher said. “Bryce Hamilton mightiness beryllium 1 of the apical 10 oregon 12 scorers successful the country. Sometimes you tin play large defence connected him, and he’s inactive going to enactment it into the basket.
“They’re uncovering their way. They person a batch of caller pieces. They’re making adjustments. Kevin has done a bully job. They look to person gotten into a rhythm.They’re going to beryllium a existent situation for us.”
First squad to 60 wins?
Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.
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