Optimistic

[Pistol Pete 1]

I think I may be a little more optimistic than most around here regarding the upcoming season. We have been getting our butts kicked by inferior talent ever since Rice showed up. I think it's time we started doing a lot more with a little less. Rice didn't instill confidence in his players nor create a real sense of "team". Menzies comes across as a great guy that the kids can relate to and want to play hard for.

Really excited to see Poyser's development from year 1. One thing about him was that he could get into the lane whenever he wanted to. As with a lot of Freshmen it takes time to figure out what needs to be done after getting there against better talent than was seen in high school.

A piece we really haven't had in a long long time is Christian Jones. Just looks like a solid power forward in the mold of an Arman Gilliam. Let's see if he can put the hammer down.

After looking at the film I think that Zion Morgan could be a sleeper for us. The competition in his clips looked to be pretty good and he looked good against it. So many of those clips show guys going against really inferior competition.

Anyway, basketball is a team sport whose success depends almost as much or more on teamwork as it does on individual talent. Defense is good (not necessarily great) athleticism coupled with desire. Desire to not let your man beat you no matter what. Can Menzies instill that in these kids? Only time will tell but I for one am optimistic that what we see out of this year's Rebels will be a lot better than the selfish, low IQ basketball we have been watching for the last 4 years. I say last 4 only because Kruger's imprint was all over Rice's 1st year and it was worse each successive year!

 

[UNLVAlumni]

After reading the piece about the assistant coaches and even Menzies recruiting connections has definitely lifted up my hopes for this staff and what I think they can get done in the next few years. Lots of head coaching experience on the staff.

 

[plaintruth]

How do you feel now after losing to a team that lost to Charleston Southern by 2. BTW... Charleston Southern won 9 games last year in an awful conference. Menzies also played all his starters for most of the game. Long season for Rebel fans.

 

[JTthe2nd]

How do you feel now after losing to a team that lost to Charleston Southern by 2. BTW... Charleston Southern won 9 games last year in an awful conference. Menzies also played all his starters for most of the game. Long season for Rebel fans.

Meaningless game as far as wins and losses are concerned. This is a 'get acquainted' trip where most of these guys are meeting and playing together for the first time. I hope the team has fun, gel as a team, and play hard. Yeah, a team of all-stars would've won handily but where did are all-star teams get us the past 5 years? I still feel good about Menzies chances of fielding a team that competes in the upper half of the conference.

 

[LetsRun]

You mean those all stars that lost to Dixie in the TMC. The trip to Canada 4 years ago had some close games with nobodies as well. Sounds like Rebels had this game and handed it to them. Missing 4 free throws in last minute and fouling with 1 second left to lose it. Hopefully with this coaching staff the team learns from its mistakes and improves. Thats what fans want to see. Progression and team play. Hard to watch a team get worst as the season goes on.

 

[the Florian Trout]

hopefully this group of kids will be at least equal achievers instead of under achievers.

 

[Pistol Pete 1]

How do you feel now after losing to a team that lost to Charleston Southern by 2. BTW... Charleston Southern won 9 games last year in an awful conference. Menzies also played all his starters for most of the game. Long season for Rebel fans.

Still feel the same. Our new big man and Morgan did not play. So 2 of our starters or rotation guys did not play at all. While I don't think that Morgan will be an offensive juggernaut I think he will bring a lot of intensity on the defensive end and if put in the right spots on offense should could become a great garbage man around the bucket. The big guy has what you can't teach, "size". Encouraged that Zion Morgan came in as a true freshman and competed against older guys. Jones showed he can be the player everybody hopes he will be.

Our PG coach should be much better at bringing along whoever ends up at that position than the last few years. We have essentially played without a PG for 7 yrs running now so that can't get much worse. Menzies seems to be a people person and I expect he will mold these guys into a team that will actually get better as the year goes on.

So yes, still optimistic. And in case nobody is paying attention the most important thing going on with basketball is the football program. If we can't get to where we need to be with a stadium and football we will be out of the running for p5 and UNLV will fade away into never never land.

Go Rebels!

 

[JTthe2nd]

Btw, anyone have a feel for Chieckna Dembele's status this season? Is he expected to be eligible and just going through routine bureaucratic red tape or is there a high chance he won't be able to play this year?

 

[Doubleyew]

 

[Doubleyew]

View embedded media

Some immediate impressions: Poyser with 6 TO, Slivoncantspellhisname with a three pointer and fouls worse than Morgan apparently, Larry Bush 9 points in 11 minutes with some steals and assists, Jones and Clyburn are studs

 

[tarkaniancourt...nm]

Wyoming only beat the Knights 81-74; Clyburn and Jones are really good. We underachieved for 5 years, maybe we overachieve this year.

 

[tarkaniancourt...nm]

 

[MonsterJam]

Funny how the coach in the blue shirt is animated early on then just seemingly has the air taken out of him. We've been there a few times!

Also, where is their bench? One guy, then a couple more - BTW - not sure how your bench grows over the course of a game.

 

[Doubleyew]

Funny how the coach in the blue shirt is animated early on then just seemingly has the air taken out of him. We've been there a few times!

Also, where is their bench? One guy, then a couple more - BTW - not sure how your bench grows over the course of a game.

They may have a carpenter on their squad. Building up the bench as the game goes on depending on how bad they are losing.

 

[UNLVAlumni]

Only one guy played any minutes last year. Why would anyone start bashing this team. This team has a long way to go but I like what I saw after they lose the first game which they should have won they respond in the next. I think that it will take a few years but I am encouraged. I love the staff that he has put together. Lots of head coaching and assistant coaching / recruiting experience which is exactly what we lacked under Rice.