This week, FanHouse is taking a look at the top teams heading into 2008 with a BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. To help with the team capsules, we've brought in some of the top fan bloggers around the internets to give us insights on their teams. A side note, I grew up in Southern California, but followed UNLV anyway. So I was very careful in picking the right blogger for this preview, and we got a good one. Jordan Bunker is a fun read over at the Rebel Blog, and you should check him out after you read FanHouse, of course. Jordan is here to break down your UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
The hum of the neon lights on the Strip is no longer the only thing buzzing in Las Vegas. After back-to-back Mountain West Conference Championships and subsequent runs to the Sweet 16 and second round of the NCAA tournament, a contagious strain of Runnin' Rebel Fever has resurfaced and is running rampant throughout the city. Indeed, fifth-year head coach Lon Kruger has redefined the term "rebuilding".
Recent success and Kruger's pristine style of coaching not only basketball, but off-court life, has put UNLV back on the map as a hot-spot destination for transfers and freshmen, hence the number of new faces on this year's team. Count on Tre'von Willis, a sophomore transfer from Memphis, and freshman Oscar Bellfield to compete all season for the position of starting point guard. In the frontcourt, 6'8" junior college transfer Darris Santee quietly, yet more than adequately, handles the responsibilities of a big man. Backing him up in the paint is the combination of freshmen Brice Massamba and Beas Hamga, 6-foot-10 and 7-feet respectively.
This year's UNLV squad welcomes back four seniors in standout guard Wink Adams, sharp-shooting forward Joe Darger, blue collar hustler René Rougeau and much improved forward Mareceo Rutledge. Adams, Darger and Rougeau have been part of Kruger's system since they were freshmen, and their examples and leadership are trickling down and inspiring the entire roster.
Adams is the best overall player on the Rebels' roster. After averaging 16.9 points per game last year, scoring an average of 17 this season would make Adams the fifth member of UNLV's 2,000 point club. That would put him in the company of Rebel greats such as Stacey Augmon and Freddie Banks. Adams' uncanny ability to sense urgency in a game and make clutch shots will prove to be invaluable as the Rebels look to conquer the Mountain West Conference and advance further into the NCAA tournament than any UNLV team has gone in the past 15 years.
Why they should be ranked here: UNLV's current mix of depth and talent is unlike any UNLV squad in over a decade. If the Rebels live up to their potential, they are going to be extremely tough to beat. Also, the Thomas and Mack Center has returned as one of the greatest home court advantages in NCAA hoops. The Rebels have won 16 consecutive games at home, generating a momentum that, if sustained, will help them get past tough visiting opponents such as San Diego, Arizona and BYU.
Why they should be ranked higher: Two words: Lon Kruger. Possibly the most underrated coach in the entire NCAA, Kruger teaches his teams how to win and advance, all the while instilling an underdog mentality within each of his players. If the new guys are able to set their individual pride aside and put their faith in Kruger's defense-creates-offense psyche, these Rebels will be playing well into March.
Why they should be ranked lower: Again, depth. With so much individual talent on one team, there is always the possibility of each player thinking that his way is the best. Should this happen, it would be difficult to get the entire team united under one style of play.
Thanks to Jordan Bunker of the Rebel Blog for coming into the 'House to break down the Runnin' Rebels.
