Rebels prepared to play the waiting game against Pacific

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019 | 2 a.m.

The most efficient way to watch UNLV's game against Pacific today might be to zone out for the first 25 seconds of each possession. Do some online holiday shopping, maybe get some gift-wrapping done or hang the lights — and then focus on the action when the shot clock begins to heat up.

That's not to say entire plays aren't important, but both teams are deliberate about pace, and UNLV coach T.J. Otzelberger thinks the contest could be decided by what happens at the end of each long, exacting possession.

"Their pace of play is slow," Otzelberger said of Pacific. "They want to grind you out."

That modest formula has worked for the Tigers, who are 10-3 on the season and sport a better KenPom rating (No. 174) than UNLV (No. 180). Under head coach Damon Stoudamire, Pacific is 345^th in tempo (eighth-slowest in the country) but ranks No. 146 in efficiency, according to Synergy Sports data.

Pacific will run multiple offensive sets on each possession, forcing the UNLV defense to rotate and move its collective feet for long stretches. It's a style of play that will chew up the clock and test the Rebels' attention span.

"They're a very physical team in the halfcourt," Otzelberger said. "They run a circle motion similar to what Virginia runs where they really try to keep coming off pin-downs and flares and kind of grind you. They're 10-3 because the teams they've beat, they've kind of outlasted on possessions and out-willed."

Defending that type of offense has been an issue for UNLV. According to Synergy, the Rebels are allowing opposing teams to score 0.925 points per possession in the final four seconds of the shot clock this season, which ranks No. 331 out of 353 teams in Division I.

Otzelberger likened it to the game plan that Texas State employed in a Nov. 20 win over the Rebels.

"I think there is a mental component to being able to stay the course over a 30-second possession and defend," Otzelberger said. "I think Texas State was a team that we played early in the year that had that similar identity, so hopefully we've learned and grown since then. You've got to play later in the possession. You can't rest, you can't take a second off, you can't turn your head because that's when they really try to get you. And I think that holds true with Pacific. They're very comfortable playing later in the shot clock."

Antonio return imminent

The Rebels should get a boost from the return of junior guard Jonah Antonio, who practiced on Tuesday for the second straight day and said he expects to play against Pacific.

Antonio has been out since Nov. 18 due to a left thumb injury, but he said he's healed and no longer feels any pain in the area.

"I'm in game shape right now," Antonio said. "Shot feels good. I shot pretty well in practice today and yesterday, so everything is good."

Antonio is a key cog in the UNLV offense, as he's one of the few players on the roster capable of commanding the respect of the defense with his outside shot. He has knocked down 35.7 percent of his 3-pointers this season while scoring 6.8 points per game.

Junior guard Amauri Hardy is one of the players who should stand to benefit from Antonio's ability to stretch the defense.

"It's good to have him back," Hardy said. "Now that we've got Jonah back, [defenders] have got to play me a little differently, got to play our team differently given that the spacing is there. He's a proven shooter and one of the guys that you don't want to leave open for a catch-and-shoot 3.

"Even in transition when guys are running back, they're running back to Jonah and not necessarily to the paint," Hardy continued. "So even in transition you might have some drives here and there that might be open."

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