UNLV forward Dwayne Morgan (15) reaches for a loose ball surrounded by San Jose State defenders during their basketball game Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 | 2 a.m.
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The first of UNLV’s true freshmen to commit to the program has been the last to seemingly catch up to the Division I level. Dwayne Morgan doesn’t hide from this because he knows he’s now getting better at a little faster pace.
Morgan, a Baltimore native, also knows, just as the rest of the Rebels do, that his continued development could be the biggest key for UNLV growing as a team throughout Mountain West play.
“The season isn’t flowing as smoothly as I would hope, but it’s a long season,” Morgan said. “I’ve got time to get better.”
The Rebels (10-6, 1-2) are back on the road after picking up their first conference win of the season on Saturday at home in a blowout against San Jose State. Tonight at 8 Las Vegas time UNLV plays at Boise State (10-6, 0-3) on ESPNU, and then on Saturday it’s at San Diego State (12-4, 2-1) for an afternoon tilt.
This is an important week with two difficult but winnable away games for a team that has yet to win a true road game. It’s also more important because UNLV has already slipped up at home, dropping last Wednesday’s game against a UNR team it didn’t take seriously enough.
“The nature of a young team is thinking we’re better than these guys, thinking we can go out and just cruise,” Morgan said. “That’s not going to happen.”
Morgan wasn’t much of a factor in that loss, registering five points and one rebound in 15 minutes. But when you watch the game you can tell there’s a difference.
Morgan’s shot selection is getting better, he’s not looking around a little lost on defense anymore and occasionally he’s battling for rebounds the way UNLV needs out of its third post player.
“A lot of things he does to help the team aren’t necessarily in a box score,” said senior guard Cody Doolin, adding that Morgan’s ability to switch on screens to guard perimeter players gives UNLV options.
Morgan committed to the Rebels less than a week after their NCAA Tournament loss to California in 2013. In the final Rivals.com rankings he was at No. 15, but it’s been a process getting comfortable and understanding what the team needs from him.
“Every player progresses at a different rate,” said UNLV coach Dave Rice. “His development is important because we need more depth up front.”
Part of the problem is that UNLV is playing Morgan out of his natural position. He’s a slashing wing but when Khem Birch decided to put his name into the NBA Draft the Rebels were left short in the frontcourt. Enter Morgan, who’s listed generously at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds.
That creates a lot of mismatches on defense, like when Wyoming’s Larry Nance, arguably the best player in the league, was able to do whatever he wanted against Morgan in the post. However, it can work to UNLV’s advantage at the other end if Morgan is in attack mode. That’s been the case lately.
At Kansas on Jan. 4, Morgan made only one shot but it was on a great drive to the rim. He had another two or three really good moves and just wasn’t able finish at the basket, and the key is that the aggression has maintained over the last two games as well.
His touch needs work, but Morgan has started putting himself in more advantageous positions. He credits film study for being able to see why he shouldn’t have taken a certain shot because either there was a lane to the basket or a teammate with a better option.
“I definitely feel like I’m finding my way into the team and into the offense,” Morgan said.
The athletic potential is certainly there, but Morgan is averaging 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in only 17.6 minutes per game. Those averages rank fifth, fourth and seventh on the team, respectively, and all of them could take big leaps in the coming weeks.
It appears that Morgan is seeing things more clearly, or at least understanding better how to execute his role while playing to his strengths.
“He and Jordan Cornish are two of the real X-factors for us down the stretch,” Rice said.
The main difference is that Cornish, a freshman guard from New Orleans, always figured to be a guy getting spot minutes at the end of the rotation this season. Morgan projects as something more, and the closer he gets to that potential this year the more UNLV can evolve throughout conference play.
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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