Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV basketball:

At Showcase, new Rebels see up close what to expect of game day at the Mack

Scarlet and Gray Showcase

L.E. Baskow

UNLV cheerleaders fire up fans before the Rebels’ Scarlet & Gray Showcase at the Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014.

Scarlet and Gray Showcase

UNLV basketball players gather for the scarlet and gray exhibition, which is the Rebels' version of midnight madness, at the Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014. Launch slideshow »
The Rebel Room

Preseason Jamboree

Las Vegas Sun reporters Ray Brewer, Case Keefer and Taylor Bern discuss the Rebels' position in the Mountain West preseason poll and the expectations on senior point guard Cody Doolin.

Dwayne Morgan has attended a UNLV home game before but he had never been in one, and while that’s still true, Thursday’s dress rehearsal taught him a few things about what to expect in the Thomas & Mack Center. One of them is that firework smoke doesn’t mix well with his contact lenses.

Morgan was one of a few new Rebels wiping at his eyes during the layup line in the remaining haze of the Mack’s pregame fireworks show. With eight newcomers on the 2014-15 roster, the Scarlet & Gray Showcase was primarily an opportunity for fans to get familiar with the new faces, but it also served as an introductory class for those same players. Think of it as UNLV Gameday 101.

“When you’re watching it you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s neat,’” Morgan said. “But when you’re actually involved in it, when you’re on the court warming up, you see the fireworks, you see the fans, it’s motivating.”

Morgan scored 14 points in the scrimmage for the Scarlet team, which lost 46-28 to Gray. The overall leading scorer and arguably the most impressive player were both familiar faces. Sophomore Christian Wood had 15 points plus seven rebounds while Kendall Smith filled up the stat sheet with 8 points on 4-of-7 shooting, five rebounds and four assists with no turnovers.

Wood, after fading away on his first shot attempt, stayed mostly in the post, shooting 5-of-7 overall, and made a few trips to the free-throw line. As long as he stays close to the basket that could be a familiar theme for the Rebels’ offense.

“I thought that Christian Wood passed up a lot of shots that maybe last year he would have been tempted to take,” coach Dave Rice said. “He attacked inside, he got to the free-throw line and I thought Chris Wood was definitely a factor inside which is what we need him to be this season.”

Most of the point guard attention is on senior transfer Cody Doolin, who’s all but a lock for the starting spot. Smith’s aggressive play was a confidence builder for UNLV’s overall prospects at that position.

“We feel really good about the progress we’ve made at the point guard spot,” Rice said.

Pessimists could find plenty to point out, too. A team that knows it needs to shoot 3s a lot better went 6-for-22, and freshman big man Goodluck Okonoboh didn’t offer much for Doolin to work with in pick and rolls.

It’s early, though. The Rebels open the season in exactly four weeks at home against Morehead State, and at least they’ve figured out who has the best dance moves.

During the individual introductions at the beginning of Thursday’s event, most of the players busted out one move or another while strutting down the red carpet. The consensus winner seemed to be senior Jerome Seagears, although there’s a grassroots campaign for special assistant Max Good, who appeared to flash a little Dougie in the middle of the huddle.

Overall the event served its purpose. A few thousand fans got a glimpse at this year’s roster and the post-scrimmage autograph lines were still going an hour after it ended.

For the players it was a break from the relative isolation of the Mendenhall Center and an opportunity to see what it will be like when the real thing comes in a month. There’s another important group, too, and they were seated across from the bench in Gucci Row.

The Rebels’ coaching staff had a handful of recruits on hand, including the majority of the Findlay Prep roster. That includes class of 2016 commit Justin Jackson as well as targets Jalen Poyser (class of 2015) and Derryck Thornton (class of 2016).

While Morgan is looking forward with what he hopes will be some clearer eyes, UNLV’s highest-rated freshman, Rashad Vaughn, couldn’t help but look at his former teammates and turn the calendar back a year.

“I remember last year I was in the same seat they’re sitting in,” Vaughn said. “For me now to be here and them watching me, it’s crazy how life moves so fast.”

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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