Rebels’ McCaw out at least one game with concussion

Trainer Dave Tomchek walks UNLV guard Patrick McCaw off the court after McCaw suffered a head injury during the second half of their Mountain West Conference game Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at the Thomas & Mack Center. San Diego State won 60-58. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

UNLV guard Patrick McCaw sits on the bench after suffering a head injury and displaying concussion-like symptoms during the second half of their Mountain West Conference game against San Diego State Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at the Thomas & Mack Center. San Diego State won 60-58. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

UNLV head coach Dave Rice checks on guard Patrick McCaw after McCaw suffered a head injury and displayed concussion-like symptoms during the second half of their Mountain West Conference game against San Diego State Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at the Thomas & Mack Center. San Diego State won 60-58. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

After being examined Thursday morning, Patrick McCaw was diagnosed with a concussion, and the freshman guard has been ruled out for UNLV’s game at San Jose State on Saturday.

McCaw will be evaluated daily, so his status for next week’s Mountain West tournament is up in the air. According to NCAA guidelines on concussion protocol, McCaw must sit out a minimum of four days and could be cleared to play on the fifth day.

The Rebels (16-14, 7-10) will have six scholarship players available for their regular-season finale. Freshman guards Rashad Vaughn and Dantley Walker were lost to knee injuries in mid-February. Vaughn is the team’s leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, and McCaw is the No. 3 scorer at 10.0.

UNLV coach Dave Rice has two walk-on guards, Barry Cheaney and Charles Rushman, capable of playing against the Spartans, who are 2-27 overall and 0-17 in conference games.

“McCaw was playing at a high level,” Rice said. “It’s a huge loss. Without Rashad, he’s one of our primary scorers. He makes so many plays for himself and for others. But we’ll figure it out.”

McCaw played 24 minutes and recorded seven points and three rebounds in the Rebels’ 60-58 loss to San Diego State on Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

McCaw went down with 14:20 remaining in the game. He took a shot to the nose, the result of banging heads with sophomore forward Chris Wood during a play near the basket. He was escorted to the locker room, later returning to the bench to watch the end of the game.

Rice has two freshmen reserves — guard Jordan Cornish and forward Dwayne Morgan — ready to start in McCaw’s spot. Morgan scored 13 points in 14 minutes against the Aztecs, while Cornish had nine points on three 3-pointers.

McCaw, arguably UNLV’s most valuable player on both ends of the floor, has started the past 13 games and scored 20 points or more in three of the past six games.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.