Darger, Rebels to get physical

Strictly a jump-shooting forward last season, Darger is ready to display more power in his approach to the game.

Another change is that Darger will be a starter when the Rebels open the regular season against Montana State at 7:30 p.m. today at the Thomas & Mack Center.

With the graduation of five seniors, Darger no longer can be a finesse player fitting into a reserve role.

"We lost a lot of key guys, and being one of the older guys this year, I feel like I need to step up and be more aggressive," he said. "I’m definitely going to try to expand my game.

"I’m excited to play more physical. It’s exciting to get in there and bang against some of these guys."

Before starting lineups are announced, a banner honoring UNLV’s accomplishments last season will be displayed. The Rebels finished 30-7, won the Mountain West Conference Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

Darger averaged 6.0 points per game last season, when he backed up senior Wendell White, the team’s top scorer.

If UNLV is to have another banner season, Darger must be a bigger contributor. He’s the team’s No. 2 returning scorer, behind junior guard Wink Adams at 13.9 points per game.

The Rebels lack size, and the 6-foot-7-inch Darger is expected to help pick up the slack.

"Every year, Joe’s game has got more well rounded, and he’s doing more things," UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. "He’ll do whatever he can to help the team. He has a great attitude about that.

"We still want him to shoot it because that’s what he does best."

Darger shot 44 percent (47-for-107) from 3-point range as a sophomore but averaged just 1.9 rebounds per game.

Now that he says he’s got to "crash the boards" more, he’s prepared.

Before his freshman season, Darger weighed 202 pounds and had 10.3 percent body fat and a vertical leap of 29 inches. His weight is up to 223, his body fat is down to 6.8 percent, and his vertical leap has improved to 341/2 inches.

"I’m definitely a lot stronger," said Darger, who has bumped up his bench press about 30 pounds to 230.

Last summer, he spent four days a week lifting weights and working with Jason Kabo, the basketball team’s assistant director of strength and conditioning. As a high school star in Riverton, Utah, Darger said he rarely lifted weights.

"Some exercises you’ve got to learn to like, but for the most part, lifting doesn’t bother me and I enjoy it," Darger said. "I like the feeling you get after it’s all done."

He saw positive results Tuesday in the Rebels’ 77-47 exhibition victory over Division II Washburn. Darger scored a team-high 19 points and had eight rebounds in 27 minutes. He averaged just 12.5 minutes per game last season.

Kruger wants Darger to get more involved defensively and find different ways to score.

"If we get Joe the ball down there in the low post, he’s got a good feel for how to get it in the basket," Kruger said. "Every play, he makes an effort to go to the offensive boards. Every play, he is making an effort to do what he is supposed to do. His role will be expanded for sure."

• NOTES — Kruger said sophomore point guard Marcus Lawrence will be held out of today’s game for failing to meet academic responsibilities, and freshman guard Kendall Wallace (stress reaction to his right fibula) will miss at least another week. … The Bobcats, returning two starters from an 11-19 team, are picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky Conference.