Rob Miech

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Despite few points, inspiration keeps 'Chop' high on plus-minus list: Senior guard comes in sixth while Willis, Jasper sit on top; Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009; Looking at an analysis of UNLV’s four games against Division-I foes, Rebels junior guard Tre’Von Willis sees that he’s atop his team’s plus-minus list.
For a few hours Monday morning, the numbers from those four victories were crunched and a value was determined for each Rebel – what happened, points wise, when each was on the court?
Search committee to narrow UNLV athletic director list: Group will send list of finalists to UNLV president after 2 p.m. meeting; Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009; The UNLV athletic director search committee will begin the final phase of its task today when it convenes at 2 p.m. on campus.
The committee will pore over more than 70 applications it has received from candidates since it first met Nov. 3. It will ultimately send a list of finalists to UNLV President Neal Smatresk for his consideration.
Rebels enter hoops rankings at No. 24: Monday, Nov. 30, 2009; UNLV’s 5-0 start, and victory over then-No. 16 Louisville on Saturday, earned the Rebels a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll today.
Willis key to UNLV’s strong finish against Louisville: Junior guard stings Cardinals in second half to topple No. 16 team; Monday, Nov. 30, 2009; It wasn’t the best first half Saturday afternoon for UNLV junior guard Tre’Von Willis, but he capped it with a flourish and had a sterling second half.
His game buoyed the Rebels to a stirring 76-71 victory over the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals and arguably represents Willis’s finest stretch for UNLV.
Bellfield tolls again for UNLV in 76-71 win over Louisville: Sophomore’s 8 points in late three-minute flurry rallies Rebels, who lost a 19-point lead; Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009; As he did on New Year’s Eve in Kentucky, UNLV guard Oscar Bellfield again rose to the occasion against the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday afternoon. The Rebels had frittered away all of a 19-point lead when Bellfield came to their rescue and steered UNLV to a 76-71 victory.
Notebook: UNLV prospect Polee likes what he sees, and hears, at the Mack: Thrilling win over No. 16 Louisville and raucous crowd leaves recruit giddy; Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009; Los Angeles Westchester High forward Dwayne Polee Jr. couldn’t have picked a better time to visit the UNLV campus and take in a Rebels basketball game.
Findlay stays undefeated behind Joseph’s 34 points: Star senior guard helps pump Pilots to 7-0 start; Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009; It cooled off considerably, in shooting and scoring, but Findlay College Prep managed to stay undefeated Saturday night at the Tournament of Champions in Peoria, Ill.
UNLV recalls last year’s close shave at Louisville: Undefeated Rebels get No. 16 Cards today at the Mack; Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009; Derrick Jasper sat in Dave Mendoza’s chair inside the 13th Street Barbershop last New Year’s Eve, got his usual trim and stayed awhile to watch an unusual game unfold. On a TV screen in the Paso Robles, Calif., establishment, not far from where 24-year-old actor James Dean was killed in an auto accident in September 1955, Jasper saw UNLV score the first 10 points at Louisville.
Findlay Prep takes two in Illinois: Scoring takes a dip, but Pilots improve to 6-0; Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; Findlay College Prep has cooled off its scoring barrage when it hit the road this week for the Tournament of Champions in Peoria, Ill. The defending ESPN national-champion Pilots have kept winning, however, with two victories.
Notebook: Louisville makes poor shooters pay: On the other hand, the Rebels are assuming an identity with their defense; Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009; UNLV might have picked the right time to shoot so poorly from beyond the 3-point arc and at the line. The Rebels might not be able to get away with such horrid figures against a top-20 team like Louisville come Saturday.
Findlay forward Thompson a fan of Shakespeare: The Texas signee will be a rudder for the Pilots as they hit the road; Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009; Findlay College Prep senior power forward Tristan Thompson has nearly mastered Shakespeare as well as he figured out Tiny Gallon of Oak Hill Academy.
He joined the Pilots late last season to help them belt three foes, including Gallon and vaunted Oak Hill in the title game, to win the ESPN National high school championship and cap a 33-0 season.
UNLV zaps Holy Cross, 80-59: Willis-to-Jasper alley-oop highlights Rebels improving to 4-0; Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009; They had tried it earlier in the second half, but UNLV guard Tre’Von Willis overthrew Derrick Jasper on an alley-oop attempt. The second time, it knocked Holy Cross for a loop.
After passing the ball to Willis at the top of the key, Jasper drifted around the right side of the Crusaders’ 2-3 zone defense inside the Thomas & Mack Center.
Kruger contract altered in September: Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009
Justin Hawkins is a Rebel with many causes: ‘J-Hawk’ gets a special thank-you note from President Obama; Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009; Carmen Hawkins pauses as she details the vast charitable commitments and endeavors of her son, UNLV freshman guard Justin Hawkins, since he was 4 years old. “You’re about to out him, in a way,” she says late Monday night. “Basketball does not know that side of him. He does a lot of stuff without fanfare.”
Sluggish starts plague Rebels in early games: UNLV is 3-0 but knows it must operate better out of the gate; Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009; In all three of its basketball games so far this season, UNLV has started as if it’s stuck in quicksand. It falls behind from the tip-off and needs about 10 minutes to get into it.
However, the Rebels are getting better. It only took them eight minutes to begin clicking Saturday night against Southern Illinois.
Rebels wake up Sunday with top RPI: It’s early, Kruger says, and there’s still plenty to work on; Monday, Nov. 23, 2009; Give it four more months, at least, and maybe UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger will enjoy hearing such news … and believe it.
Before he and his staff met with their players in their usual Sunday night academic meetings and team meal, Kruger chuckled just a bit about the Rebels leading the nation in Ratings Percentage Index.
Notebook: The Shark and LJ circle: Tarkanian gives Southern Illinois a nod of approval; Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009; UNLV legends Jerry Tarkanian and Larry Johnson sat in the first row behind the Rebels’ bench Saturday night for the 78-69 victory over Southern Illinois. Both were treated like rock stars, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans for most of the night.
Willis makes big difference in UNLV’s 78-69 victory: Junior guard’s career-best 25 points and toughness pace win over Southern Illinois; Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009; UNLV junior guard Tre’Von Willis doesn’t back down or shy away from bruising, physical and scrappy basketball games, so he relished Saturday night. Willis set the pace against Southern Illinois with a career-high 25 points, and he grabbed 7 rebounds and doled out 4 assists in 26 minutes.
Findlay stifles IMG Academy in 113-50 victory: Pilots coach Mike Peck demands defense and his squad delivers in rout; Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009; IMG Academy of Florida showed up at the wrong time to play Findlay College Prep late Saturday afternoon at the Henderson International School.
Ticked that his Pilots had given up at least 90 points in two of their first three games, Pilots coach Mike Peck vowed that there would be a clamp down.
UNLV and Southern Illinois will be guarded tonight: Rebels enter Salukis game with a 9-percent turnover rate, best in the nation; Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009; Like it was for UNLV, 2006-07 was a very good season for Southern Illinois, which earned the Missouri Valley Conference’s highest NCAA tournament seed (No. 4) since 1979. The Salukis defeated Holy Cross and Virginia Tech, then lost to Kansas to finish that season 29-7.
Findlay guard Joseph scores 33, talks about UNLV: The 3-0 Pilots are beating opponents by an average score of 127-88; Friday, Nov. 20, 2009; Anyone who arrived late to Findlay College Prep’s basketball game Friday night against Princeton Country Day of New Jersey likely did a double take.
The scoreboard read: Guest 84, Home 17.
Chilly start for Chace, but Stanback says he'll warm up: Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Reserve Rebels didn’t have time to panic: Unlikely boost from reserves wasn’t so unlikely, say UNLV assistants; Friday, Nov. 20, 2009; When it looked bleak Wednesday night for UNLV, as coach Lon Kruger called for a timeout when UNR padded its lead to 12 points early in the second half, a hush fell over the Thomas & Mack Center.
Louis Amundson is a favorite Sun in Phoenix: Former UNLV center has pony tail and motor, and now a bike valet post; Friday, Nov. 20, 2009; PHOENIX — Like it did inside the Thomas & Mack Center when he played for UNLV, a low, longLoooooooo hums over the court when Louis Amundson checks into a Suns game.
“Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen echoes from the rafters of the U.S. Airways Center when he gobbles up a rebound, slips the ball over the front of the rim or sinks a couple of free throws.
Rebels’ reserves ignite comeback in 88-75 victory over UNR: Kruger goes to bench for game-changing momentum to beat rival Wolf Pack; Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009; UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger should have been rolling the dice or picking numbers on a roulette wheel or hitting 18s on a blackjack table somewhere in town Wednesday night.
Against what appeared to be high odds, he made a move at the Thomas & Mack Center that paid off handsomely in the Rebels’ 88-75 victory over UNR.
Notebook: Rebels rookies Hawkins and Marshall look like veterans: The duo combines for a dozen points in decisive 23-4 run in second half; Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009; Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins came to UNLV because they wanted the chance to play right away.
They were promised nothing but were told by Rebels coach Lon Kruger that they would earn what game-time minutes they deserved based on how they practiced.
It’s official: Cory Joseph will visit UNLV: Findlay Prep’s ace point guard will check out the Rebels next month; Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009; Findlay College Prep senior Cory Joseph will take his fifth and final official recruiting visit to UNLV, Pilots coach Mike Peck confirmed.
UNLV's Oscar Bellfield hopes to be a closer against UNR: His near-highlight jam in opener surprised fellow Rebels; Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009; Oscar Bellfield saw the sliver of an opening on the right side and his eyes widened. Like he did with that game-winning shot at Louisville on New Year’s Eve, he kicked into a high gear.
This time, he soared higher. The UNLV sophomore guard launched himself at the rim Saturday night against Pittsburg State at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV's Kendall Wallace is riding a hot streak: Junior's career-best 16 points in opener no surprise; Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009; UNLV junior shooter Kendall Wallace should either write a self-help book, a surefire bestseller, or get an advanced degree and create his own daytime talk show.
Dr. Kendall.
Ex-Pilot Streeter helps Fullerton get epic win over UCLA: Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
Sanford firing sets interim AD apart in UNLV search: Koloskie's bold move puts him in the lead for permanent spot; Monday, Nov. 16, 2009; Early Friday morning, Dr. Neal Smatresk sat in a black leather chair in his seventh-floor office and knotted a scarlet tie around the collar of a light blue-striped dress shirt.
UNLV’s new president spoke wistfully about a football victory the following day at Air Force, the Rebels beating San Diego State, and Ryan Wolfe and Omar Clayton playing in a well-deserved bowl game.
“ … we could finish 7-6,” Smatresk said.
UNLV’s Smatresk drops hint of ‘very big donation’: Monday, Nov. 16, 2009; The list of Dr. Neal Smatresk’s achievements in three months as UNLV’s president is impressive. In his office early Friday morning, he hinted at something major around the corner in athletics.
But he didn’t exactly say athletics.
UNLV pounds D-II Pitt State, 91-52, in opener: Willis has 17 points and Wallace tallies 16 for Rebels; Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009; After attempting a school-record 52 free throws against Pittsburg State, UNLV players joked in their locker room late Saturday night about the last time they played in such a long game.
If they thought it was long, imagine how the Gorillas of Pitt State felt after losing, 91-52, before 14,304 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Findlay Prep thumps Impact Academy, 121-79: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009; With star guard Cory Joseph in foul trouble for most of the first half, Findlay College Prep’s 14-point lead dwindled to 13 against Impact Academy with about four minutes to intermission.
Pilots coach Mike Peck called a timeout, had some pointed words for his players. They heard them, loud and clear, and closed out the half with an 8-2 run.
After shaky exhibition, Rebels ready for season opener: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009; It’s about time, said UNLV junior point guard Derrick Jasper. Finally healthy for the first time since high school, he will make his debut as a Rebel tonight in a season opener against Pittsburg State.
His long road back from microfracture knee surgery started in Lexington, Ky., and took him to Las Vegas, where he hopes to start living out some dreams.
Findlay flies away in 137-95 season-opening victory: Ace guard Cory Joseph paces Pilots with 28 points in romp of National College Prep; Friday, Nov. 13, 2009; It’s a new Findlay College Prep basketball team, which made coach Mike Peck a little nervous Friday night.
The results, however, were more of the same as the ESPN defending national-champion Pilots blasted National College Prep, 137-95, in their season opener at the Henderson International School.
UNLV prez Smatresk is ready for some basketball: Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
Findlay Prep begins defending its national crown: Floor general Cory Joseph returns as main Pilot from 33-0 squad; Friday, Nov. 13, 2009; The nail of Findlay College Prep basketball coach Mike Peck’s left index finger is in fine shape, as if he just had a manicure. It’s ready for its close-up.
Tonight, that might change when the Pilots begin defending their ESPN High School Invitational national championship in their season opener against National College Prep of California.
Kruger hoping his team will play with grit: If the Rebels show more hustle, they’ll be spared their coach baring his teeth; Friday, Nov. 13, 2009; UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger knew Super Bowl Sunday was the pivotal point of last season.

His players bolted from the Thomas & Mack Center to watch the big game. The previous night, they won at Air Force by 21 points to boost their record to 17-4.
Rebels rookie Lopez says redshirting is his best move: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
UNLV's Carlos Lopez doing well but leaning toward redshirt year: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009; UNLV freshman power forward Carlos Lopez knew Mike Peck, his high school coach, was watching the Rebels’ exhibition Tuesday night inside the Thomas & Mack Center.
After UNLV’s 10-point victory over Division-II Washburn, Lopez zipped a text message to Peck, about to begin his third season at Findlay College Prep.
Look for Chace Stanback to start against Pittsburg State: Sophomore forward’s 15 second-half points Tuesday impress Kruger; Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009; Maybe Chace Stanback will provide the boost at the start of UNLV’s season opener on Saturday night that he supplied the Rebels with at the end Tuesday night.
Trailing Division-II Washburn, 37-30, Stanback scored seven consecutive points to jumpstart UNLV. He scored all of his game-high 15 points in the final 15 minutes of the Rebels’ 62-52 victory.
Thompson to Texas; Joseph to visit UNLV?: Pilots’ super guard might make 5th official local visit; Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009; While another teammate signed with Texas today, Findlay College Prep point guard Cory Joseph could be leaning toward taking his final official visit to UNLV.
Rebels survive scare from Division-II Washburn: Sophomore forward Chace Stanback’s 15 second-half points power UNLV; Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009; During a halftime ceremony Tuesday night honoring UNLV’s championship basketball season of 1989-90, former star guard Greg Anthony thanked fans for “great memories” and “wonderful moments.” The exhibition game against Washburn that sandwiched those title-team festivities didn’t exactly produce many moments that fans will consider wonderful or memories that were great. The Rebels left the Thomas & Mack Center with a 62-52 victory.
Willis gears up for ‘special things’ team hopes to accomplish: UNLV to face Division-II Washburn tonight in exhibition matchup; Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009; Tre’Von Willis will sit in a dark room later this afternoon for 10 or 20 minutes, maybe even a half hour, and visualize exactly what he wants to do tonight against Washburn.
Two-day celebration to honor UNLV’s championship squad: Kruger embraces history, tradition of basketball program; Monday, Nov. 9, 2009; Did 20 years really fly by that quickly? Jerry Tarkanian has been pondering that very question lately as this season marks the 20th since he directed UNLV to its greatest sporting achievement.
Quinton Pointer makes defensive play of game for Rebels: Florida junior makes big hit to help keep Rams off scoreboard; Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009; That’s just how the ball rolls sometimes. UNLV right cornerback Quinton Pointer quoted his favorite saying when asked about how the Rebels have had so few interceptions, sacks and tackles for loss this season.
UNLV wins hoops scrimmage at Long Beach State: However, rebounding continues to concern sixth-year coach Lon Kruger; Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009; UNLV won a closed-door basketball scrimmage at Long Beach State late Saturday morning then jumped on a bus for a long ride back to Las Vegas. According to Rebels coach Lon Kruger, UNLV won by five or six points, but he said there are many miles to go before his squad is where he wants it to be.
On the road to Long Beach, UNLV hoops style: Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
UNLV hoopsters ready to see some unfamiliar faces: Rebels welcome their closed scrimmage at Long Beach State; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009; Chace Stanback tried boxing out Tre’Von Willis, Willis grabbed back, among a scrum they hit the floor and rolled, they exchanged glares and Willis nearly …
It’s about time UNLV’s basketball players see some fresh faces and different places. Others might say it’s about time they start pushing each other around.