To top Arizona State, UNLV must beat former Rebel at his own game

By Taylor Bern

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 | 2 a.m.

No matter what Alanis Morissette might try to tell you this situation isn’t ironic, but it is interesting.

The Rebels (8-2) have a lot on their minds going into what coach Dave Rice called Toughness Week, during which they will host one Pac-12 program from Arizona tonight at 7 on CBS Sports Network and then travel to another Saturday to wrap up the difficult part of their nonconference schedule. Foremost among those thoughts is how to get better at rebounding, particularly on the defensive glass.

As fate would have it, one of the nation’s best defensive rebounders is coming to town with Arizona State (6-3) for his first game at the Thomas & Mack Center since he used to call the arena home. Savon Goodman was an end of the bench freshman with upside during UNLV’s 2012-13 season and now he returns to Las Vegas having realized much of that potential, and very much looking like an answer to the Rebels’ current issue if he could swap jerseys.

Goodman leads the Sun Devils in points (12.4) and rebounds (7.9), and his defensive rebounding rate — 26.2, ranked No. 39 in the country and better than all but one Mountain West player — gets even more impressive when you factor in the size he gives up at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. Goodman makes up for that by outworking everybody.

“He’s got a great, not a good, but he’s got a great motor,” Rice said. “I don’t remember ever in conditioning, in weights, practice, a game that he ever took a possession off. He’s as tough-minded a guy as I’ve ever coached — he just never stops playing hard.”

Perhaps this meeting would be ironic if Goodman was sent packing because the Rebels didn’t think they needed his rebounding, but basketball was never the issue. There was a lot to like about Goodman’s future at UNLV after a freshman season that showed promise and a summer in the Desert Reign Pro City League where he piled up all kinds of points. But it turned out his fate was largely sealed at that point by a burglary charge that had yet to come to light.

The arrest warrant wasn’t issued until Aug. 15 and the news of that plus his suspension didn’t break until Aug. 24, but on May 18, 2013, Goodman and at least one accomplice allegedly stole $500, a pair of shoes and 26 video games from someone they knew at Rebel Place Apartments near UNLV’s campus.

Rice announced on Aug. 24 that no matter the outcome in court, Goodman would be suspended for his entire sophomore season. Then, three weeks before the season started Goodman was gone.

Rice was tough but fair, he thought, and when Goodman made another mistake there was little to discuss.

“Sometimes you get guys when they’re young and they make some mistakes,” Rice said. “Even though they have to own up to those mistakes, as a coach you have to also be there to help guide them and help them through those things. I think we did that and it just was an unfortunate situation."

Rice continued, “I’m really happy for Savon because he’s a good-hearted kid. He wants to do things the right way and it sounds like he’s doing it exactly that way. … I’m proud of him, and I’m proud we could have a part in his foundation.”

Neither Goodman nor ASU first-year coach Bobby Hurley were made available for comment.

After leaving UNLV, Goodman transferred to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa but didn’t play while deciding on a Division I destination. ASU called, Goodman became eligible shortly after the Sun Devils’ 22-point victory against UNLV last year and since then he keeps getting better.

UNLV has faced former Rebels before but almost never has it been a player who was discharged for nonbasketball reasons and whose best on-court skill is the very thing at which UNLV is most trying to improve. It’s interesting, not ironic, and it also doesn’t have to be an issue if the Rebels do their job.

“If they send three guys to the glass, make sure those three guys are hit,” said junior forward Ben Carter. “Make sure they’re bumped, make sure that they know we’re there. Sometimes we’re really good at it and sometimes we’re really bad at it, and I think that’s one of the struggles we’re facing as a team right now.”

Rice said he thinks UNLV’s frontcourt is rebounding at an acceptable rate. The problem has been the backcourt, which includes a combined 9.1 rebounds per game from starting guards Pat McCaw, Jerome Seagears and Ike Nwamu.

“I’m going to have to sub based on guards that don’t block out, or leak out,” Rice said.

On its two-game road trip, UNLV gave up 30 offensive rebounds to teams that aren’t particularly good at getting offensive rebounds. Meanwhile, Arizona State ranks 38th in the country in offensive rebounding percentage, per kenpom.com, compared with UNLV’s ranking at No. 269 in defensive rebounding percentage.

“You would think on paper that they have the advantage and we can’t accept that,” Rice said. “… Every loose ball we’ve got to think is ours.”

Goodman isn’t here to help with that. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

On Monday he was showing how far he’s come off the court, posting pictures in a cap and gown for a degree he earned in three and a half years over three institutions. Tonight he’ll be looking to show how far he’s come on it, and ironic or not the Rebels’ best counter is to embody Goodman’s work ethic and never take off a possession.

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