Rebels begin ‘highly anticipated season’ against UC Riverside

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When the curtain is raised on the basketball season, even a veteran such as UNLV coach Lon Kruger still gets a thrill out of it.

Opening night signals the end of a long offseason and the launch of a five-month journey into March. Kruger has been down this road before, but no trip is the same, and he said it never gets old.

“Every year is exciting,” said Kruger, in his seventh season guiding the Rebels and 25th season overall. “It’s exciting because you’ve got a different team every year. It seems like expectations for this team are high, and I think the interest level is high.

“I know our players look forward to it because preseason practice has come to an end and now they get into the games.”

UNLV is a heavy favorite to win its first game against UC Riverside at 7:30 tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Highlanders, 12-17 last season, have five new starters and are picked to finish near the bottom of the Big West Conference.

UC Riverside’s Jim Wooldridge, like Kruger a former Kansas State coach, is rebuilding around 5-foot-11-inch point guard Javon Borum, who missed last season with an injury.

The Rebels will be without their top scorer from last season. Senior guard Tre’Von Willis is finishing a three-game suspension for offseason legal problems.

Kruger’s starting lineup features one senior, guard Derrick Jasper. Junior Oscar Bellfield and sophomore Anthony Marshall will also start in the backcourt with junior Chace Stanback and sophomore Quintrell Thomas at the forward spots.

“It’s really a highly anticipated season,” Jasper said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Kruger said this team is probably his most athletic at UNLV. He also finds security from the depth and experience on the roster.

“It is a veteran group. For the most part, they all have been through it for at least a year together,” Kruger said. “It should be a more mature group in its approach.

“You would like to think that’s going to bring more consistency. Their experience brings an awareness of the pitfalls that contribute to inconsistency. On paper it’s a more mature group, but you still have to line up and do it every day.”

Marshall, a product of Mojave High School, lined up as a starter in the final 10 games as a freshman. He went through the pitfall of a three-game losing streak in February.

He also experienced a heartbreaking end in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels, 25-9 last season, were shot down by Northern Iowa in the first round.

“You’ll see a more responsible ballclub,” Marshall said. “The coaches are not having to talk as much as they did last year because we’re a more mature group. Everybody has more experience.

“Expectations were pretty high last year, but this year they’re even higher.”

Marshall said UNLV’s new look starts with the additions of Thomas, a 6-8 transfer from Kansas, and 6-11 redshirt freshman Carlos Lopez.

“We’re more athletic, and with the help of Quintrell down low and adding Carlos, that allows Chace to move to the perimeter sometimes,” Marshall said.

Stanback scored 23 points in the second half Tuesday as the Rebels defeated Division II Washburn (Kan.) 88-53 in an exhibition. The 6-8 Stanback, who averaged 10.7 points and started 33 games last season, has extended the range on his jump shot.

UNLV expects to get more interior offense to complement its shooters, so Kruger’s offense might not emphasize 3-pointers as much as in recent seasons.

“We have a lot of guys who can really attack the basket and get easy baskets. We don’t want to settle for a lot of 3s,” Jasper said. “We want to be really active on defense. It starts on the defensive end.”

■ NOTES — Kruger said a decision whether to redshirt Karam Mashour, a 6-6 freshman from Israel, could be made today. “In the end, it will be his decision,” Kruger said. “I know all kids want to play. If he decides to not play and redshirt, we will be very supportive of that. If he decides to play, we’ll be very supportive.” … The UNLV women’s team opens the season against Southern Utah at 5 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.