Blog: Birch makes the big plays to fend off Omaha in UNLV’s 73-70 victory

By Taylor Bern

Published Friday, Nov. 15, 2013 | 6 p.m.

Updated Friday, Nov. 15, 2013 | 9:20 p.m.

UNLV 73, Omaha 70

Game over

Khem Birch scored the decisive points and swatted away Omaha's last best chance to tie the game, helping UNLV avoid an upset and secure a 73-70 victory tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center. Birch finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks.

That was arguably the second-best stat line behind Roscoe Smith's 17 points and 22 rebounds. Bryce Dejean-Jones came alive in the second half and led all scorers with 19 points.

UNLV eventually calmed down with the turnovers that were giving them fits in the early parts of the game but the Rebels' decreased shooting percentage, including at the free-throw line, helped to keep the game close. Omaha's Devin Patterson finished with 17 points and CJ Carter scored 13, though his 3-point attempt at the final buzzer rimmed out.

It was a victory, but just sneaking out with that win probably doesn't inspire a lot of long-term confidence. Without those 15 first-half turnovers (and 21 for the game) it could have been a much easier night on the Rebels and the home crowd. Instead, UNLV had to sweat down the stretch and count on plays like Birch's putback.

On UNLV's final offensive possession, Dejean-Jones pulled up for a mid-range jumper. It bounced high off the rim and Birch swooped in for the short putback that put UNLV up 72-70. Birch swatted CJ Carter at the rim, and Jelan Kendrick hit 1-of-2 free throws for the final margin.

Check lasvegassun.com later tonight for a full report from the Rebels' victory.

Three games. Three different starting lineups all because of multiple injuries. That’s the reality for UNLV coach Dave Rice, who will try to find the right formula this time around when the Rebels host Omaha (2-1) tonight at 7. The game at the Thomas & Mack Center will stream on UNLVRebels.com via the Mountain West Network.

Tonight Rice will start freshman Kendall Smith at point guard because of junior Deville Smith’s knee injury. Deville Smith suffered a sprained MCL in Tuesday’s 21-point loss to UC Santa Barbara and could be out for a couple of weeks.

The other change in the lineup is bringing back senior guard Kevin Olekaibe, who started for then-injured junior Bryce Dejean-Jones in the season opener, over junior Jelan Kendrick. All of the moving parts indicate how far Rice has to go in order to figure out what lineups are going to work best this season. That’s something he was going to have to do anyways, but injuries in the last three weeks to Dejean-Jones, Khem Birch, Kendall Smith and Deville Smith have made that process even more difficult.

Dejean-Jones is close to full health, meaning he’s expected to play more than the 16 minutes he logged Tuesday, and this group of starters — Kendall Smith, Dejean-Jones, Olekaibe, Roscoe Smith and Birch — could actually be the team’s best unit. It’s only been two games, but Kendall Smith looks like the breakout star of the incoming class and Olekaibe, who’s leading the team with 14.5 points per game, offers some outside shooting needed against zone defenses.

And just like the past two seasons, UNLV is likely to see a zone even from teams that don’t normally run it because of how poorly the Rebels perform against it. The key to beating a zone is getting the ball inside to a big who makes good decisions. But if you don’t get the ball in there enough, which is one of Rice’s frequent complaints about his team’s performance in those situations, it helps to have a guy like Olekaibe loosen things up by knocking down outside shots.

That all could be for naught tonight because while Omaha is likely to run at least a little zone, the Mavericks prefer simply to run. They led the nation in possessions per game last year and with the bulk of the same personnel back this season.

Bern’s prediction: We knew there were going to be some ugly games early this season but the outcome last Tuesday was an extreme example. It could be a struggle again tonight, but I’d be very surprised to see two consecutive losses this early in the year. UNLV 80, Omaha 71

Season: ATS 1-1, O/U 1-1

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