UNLV shows ability to rebound … mentally

In a season that will undoubtedly present much bigger games in terms of opponent and attractiveness and consequence, UNLV’s basketball team beating Texas-El Paso on Saturday night was more notable than you might assume.

The Rebels are 5-2, and yet you still can’t get a complete grasp on how good or average they might ultimately become. But already this season they have twice answered adversity with immediate success.

It’s an important trait to own.

It’s a critical quality for any team hoping to matter.

UNLV beat UTEP 84-71 at the Thomas & Mack Center, beating a Miners team that is better than most people probably think, beating them four days after losing at UC Santa Barbara on a long 3 in the final seconds.

This was far more impressive than following a 20-point loss to Louisville with a win against UNR. The Cardinals are simply better than UNLV, and it was always going to be a gigantic challenge matching their size and athleticism for 40 minutes. The fact an in-state rival followed that defeat also offered the Rebels all the motivation needed to regroup quickly.

But when you come as close to winning a road game against a team favored to win its conference as UNLV did at UCSB and instead lose on a final shot, putting those emotions aside to then defeat a capable side speaks volumes to a team’s mental strength.

It’s early, but UNLV so far appears pretty solid from the neck up. Teams like that tend to bounce back and avoid stringing together losses. Teams like that usually figure out a way to matter when conference play begins.

“It was natural for us to get up for (UNR), but I think this group has shown it has the ability to get ready to play every game,” Rebels coach Lon Kruger said. “We’ve brought good energy and effort in practices and games, which is good.

“We have to work hard to give ourselves a chance to win ballgames, and this group is willing to do that. We had good energy tonight. Our activity was good. We’ve made progress in every game, and now we need to keep improving. We need to step up and make shots. But that was a real good effort.”

What it was: A better win than anyone outside Las Vegas will give much notice. UTEP’s only loss coming in was to Texas A&M when the Aggies were ranked 15th. The Miners on Tuesday beat preseason Western Athletic Conference favorite New Mexico State. UTEP has every chance to finish high in a 12-team Conference USA, a league ruled by No. 3 Memphis.

But it happened to meet UNLV on one of those nights when 3s were falling, when Curtis Terry made six of them and Joe Darger added four and the two combined to score 43 points. Kruger spoke afterward about the importance of several different names again contributing (nine Rebels played at least 13 minutes), even more essential as junior guard Wink Adams continues to find his way this season.

It’s obvious UNLV’s best player isn’t close to 100 percent. He entered shooting just 34.6 percent from the field and 25 percent on 3s. His looks this season won’t be as good as they were most of last year, the result of talented players departing and opponents having fewer proven scorers to defend. A gimpy knee right now doesn’t help things much, either.

But having to discover different ways to score will help him become a more complete player over the next two seasons. Adams took just 12 free throws in UNLV’s first five games and yet attempted 11 against UTEP, including six straight early in the second half.

The Rebels need to run to beat anyone, and there are far worse options than Adams attacking the rim in transition. He scored 14 points Saturday, and none came on 3s. Believe it. This is called progress.

“Wink will become a much better player this year,” Kruger said. “Defenses are definitely keying on him and making him work harder. He’ll figure out how to be more effective and make plays when that happens. He’s a good player.

“We’ve bounced back from our two losses with really good, intense efforts. That’s always important.”

In a season that will quickly move UTEP to the back of most minds, it should be remembered for UNLV as this: A really good win considering what happened days earlier.

Ed Graney’s column is published Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. He can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.