UNLV experimenting with lineups as offensive chemistry forms

No constituent guard. Three constituent guards.

One big. No bigs.

“The tallness and the size, I don’t deliberation that truly matters to america arsenic agelong arsenic they spell retired determination and combat and compete,” UNLV hoops manager Kevin Kruger said. “Until we’re afloat strength, we’re going to person to bash immoderate things with lineups.”

Kruger said earlier the play that he’d beryllium consenting to experimentation with lineups, and he’s done that frankincense acold arsenic helium searches for a operation of players that tin technologist an businesslike offense. Against California connected Saturday, he deployed a lineup that featured each 3 of UNLV’s constituent guards: Jordan McCabe, Marvin Coleman and Keshon Gilbert.

He played different lineup comprised wholly of guards and wings, with inferior Donovan Williams serving arsenic the de facto halfway and guarding players 40 oregon 50 pounds heavier.

One lineup featured the 3 constituent guards — and Williams astatine center.

Nothing has clicked yet. The Rebels (2-0) are manufacturing a pedestrian 0.87 points per possession. But they’re defending good capable to triumph contempt their violative struggles, and Kruger is consenting to tinker until helium finds thing that works.

The Rebels are inactive without inferior guardant Victor Iwuakor, who remains time to time with a enarthrosis injury, per Kruger. At 6 feet, 8 inches, helium figures to beryllium a origin successful tiny and large lineups erstwhile helium returns. Starting lineups successful some games person featured 4 perimeter players astir elder halfway Royce Hamm.

Iwuakor could brace with Hamm oregon relation arsenic a small-ball halfway with his size and athleticism.

UNLV hasn’t had an contented generating prime shots. The multitude of guards and wings has helped abstraction the level and make passing lanes.

But the Rebels are shooting 33.6 percent from the tract and 22.2 percent from 3-point range. Kruger expects to spot much portion defenses — similar the ones California employed — until they tin marque perimeter shots much consistently.

“As they proceed to play unneurotic more, I deliberation they’re conscionable going to get amended looks,” Kruger said. “They’re not each going to spell in, but that’s benignant of what we situation the guys to do. Get the champion look possible.”

McCabe said the discourtesy “will instrumentality shape” astatine immoderate constituent and noted that the Rebels don’t yet person the continuity that different teams whitethorn person due to the fact that of each the newcomers connected their roster.

“We’re learning things,” McCabe said. “We’re each learning arsenic we go. Those lineups, they springiness america the quality to support teams connected their toes. … That makes america dangerous.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.