Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Starting with exhibition, Rebels want to play championship defense in 2019-20

UNLV Lose at Buzzer to San Diego State

Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau

UNLV Rebels forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong (34) reacts after drawing a foul on the San Diego State Aztecs during their Mountain West Conference basketball game Saturday, February 23, 2019, at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Rebel Room

Jimmies and Joes

Ray Brewer and Mike Grimala are back to look at UNLV's upcoming matchup with San Diego State. Do the Rebels have the players to turn the season around?

To hear T.J. Otzelberger tell it, he wants UNLV to assume a defensive identity this season. And with the team’s first and only exhibition game set for Friday, it appears his players are getting the message.

There was a distinct defensive-minded vibe after the Rebels’ practiced on Tuesday morning, and it was coming from every direction — players, coaches and even MMA fighters.

After the squad wrapped up the on-court session, UFC Hall of Fame fighter Forrest Griffin presented the team with a custom-made championship belt, which will be awarded to UNLV’s best defensive player each week during the 2019-20 season.

The players’ reaction to the “Top Stopper” belt was boisterous, so as far as defense goes, Otzelberger believes he has made his point loud and clear.

“I think the guys have done a great job coming together on the defensive end,” Otzelberger said. “That’s really where our focus has been. I think where we can make the greatest amount of improvement in this program is on that side of the ball. We’re really emphasizing being the tougher, more aggressive [team], have that mindset to get stops on the defensive end.”

Last year under head coach Marvin Menzies, UNLV allowed 72.3 points per game and finished No. 215 in KenPom.com’s adjusted defense rating. While the Rebels scored at a decent clip, their inability to get stops led to too many blowout losses against good teams.

Otzelberger brought in guard Elijah Mitrou-Long as a grad transfer from Texas and forward Donnie Tillman as a transfer from Utah, and both players are solid defenders who should improve the level of play on that end of the court.

The Rebels’ first chance to get after it on defense came on Saturday, when they participated in a closed-door scrimmage against Pepperdine. Though NCAA rules prohibit Otzelberger from commenting directly on the outcome of the game, he was impressed with the way his guys competed.

“Establishing an identity is so important,” Otzelberger said, “and I felt like our guys understood that on Saturday, that we needed to be a team that was scrappy, we needed to be a team that took charges, that flew around and got deflections and loose balls. I thought we established that and I thought that was a really positive sign.”

While UNLV should be able to overwhelm a team like West Coast Baptist College with its sheer talent advantage, Tillman still wants the Rebels to play with intensity and swarm on defense.

“We’re trying to set our identity right now as an elite defensive team, and I think we can hang our hat on that,” Tillman said.

Tillman is also excited about the “Top Stopper” belt and plans to wear it to class if and when he claims the award.

“I want that,” Tillman said. “It symbolizes our unity, our toughness and grit. Everyone will reach for that. Everyone should be striving to get that belt every game. And if we do and we become a great defensive team together, I think we all deserve the belt.”

Mitrou-Long promised to compete for the belt, but believes that no matter which Rebel takes it home on any given week, the entire team will benefit from the focus on defense.

“It sets the bar high,” Mitrou-Long said. “If you’re a competitor, you’re going to want that belt, so if Donnie gets it one week I’m going to try to get it the next week, or if I get it next week, Amauri [Hardy] or Jonah [Antonio] is going to try to get it the other week. It’s a good thing to have. We’re competing for something and obviously it’s going to help us as a team.”

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

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