Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Menzies: Decision coming soon on Shakur Juiston’s status

2018 UNLV vs Cincinnati

Steve Marcus

UNLV Rebels head coach Marvin Menzies talks with forward Shakur Juiston (10) during a game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday Dec. 1, 2018.

The Rebel Room

Big win, big injury

Ray Brewer, Mike Grimala and Case Keefer assess where UNLV basketball stands after a last-second victory over BYU that saw it playing without Shakur Juiston. They also briefly touch on football recruiting before National Signing Day.

Shakur Juiston’s season could be over. Or he could return at some point from the knee injury that kept him out of Saturday’s game against BYU. At Tuesday’s practice, UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies said he didn’t know which way it will go, but that a final decision on Juiston’s status should be reached in the coming days.

“We’re going to know something here soon,” Menzies said. “I’m not sure today. It’s one of those deals where if you don’t have to make a decision right away on such a big decision, you don’t.”

Juiston injured his knee in the Rebels’ Dec. 8 game at Illinois, and the senior forward is currently trying to decide whether to have surgery or rely on rest and rehabilitation to solve the issue. The rehab route could see him back on the court by the end of the season, while surgery would presumably end his campaign.

If Juiston were to opt for surgery and sit out the remainder of UNLV’s games, he would be eligible for a medical redshirt. That would allow him to return to college for another season as a fifth-year senior in 2019-20.

Menzies said he will get together with Juiston, doctors, coaches and Juiston’s family to try to figure out the right approach, stressing that the player’s best interests take priority.

“There are going to be pros and cons to whatever he decides,” Menzies said. “We’ll do it collaboratively with the family, but we’re just not in a place now where we’re making any final decisions. But I don’t anticipate it will be too much longer.”

Juiston, a 6-foot-8 power forward, posted 10.8 points and 8.8 rebounds through the first eight games of the season. He was at UNLV’s Tuesday practice, working out with medical personnel on a side court.

Beck unsure of reason for reduced playing time

In Juiston’s absence, it would have been natural to assume an expanded role for sophomore forward Tervell Beck. But that wasn’t the case against BYU, as Beck never got off the bench during the overtime affair.

Beck started the final 13 games of his freshman season, logging 23.7 minutes during that stretch, but his playing time has decreased noticeably this year. After not seeing the floor against BYU, he is down to 14.5 minutes per game.

On Tuesday, Beck said he didn’t have an explanation for his benching.

“It’s coach’s decision,” Beck said. “That’s all I can say, for real.”

Menzies warned against reading too much into a player’s minutes for a single game and stressed that Beck’s benching was “not a big deal.”

But the coach also said he wants Beck to play with more energy on the floor and alluded to some offseason conditioning issues that Beck is still working to fix.

“When you talk about energy, sometimes I think it can be tied to conditioning, obviously,” Menzies said. “That’s where he had a little bit of a challenge, but I think he’s confronting it head-on now. He’s been working out really hard.”

Beck said the coaches hadn’t given him any specific reason for his reduced role, speculating only that he’ll have to work harder if he wants to play more.

“I guess they just want more from me and expect more from me.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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