Elijah Mitrou-Long goes down in UNLV win at San Jose State

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 | 4:52 p.m.

So many things went right for UNLV in its final game of the regular season:

The Rebels won at San Jose State, 92-69, to close the season on a five-game winning streak.

Bryce Hamilton scored 18 points to lock him in as the first UNLV player to average 20 per game in league play since 2009-10.

The Rebels turned in yet another strong defensive performance, holding SJSU to 39.6 percent from the field.

Mbacke Diong reestablished himself as an interior threat with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

And small-ball was yet again a difference-maker, as three UNLV guards scored at least 17 points.

But all of that good stuff was pushed to the back burner in the final minutes when senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long limped off the court with an apparent leg injury.

Mitrou-Long has been the catalyst for UNLV’s late-season surge, directing the four- and five-guard lineups that have become the team’s biggest weapon. He led the Rebels with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting on Saturday, but a coast-to-coast attempt late in the second half was thwarted when he tripped at full speed and tumbled to the floor.

Mitrou-Long got up, but then returned to a crouched position. While the rest of the Rebels huddled during a timeout, Mitrou-Long slammed the floor with his hand several times before limping off the court and to the locker room under the guidance of the team trainer. He did not return.

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger gave no information immediately after the game, saying only that Mitrou-Long would be evaluated by the medical staff on Sunday and that he’d know more about Mitrou-Long’s status on Monday.

That figures to be a long two days’ wait for Rebels fans, as Mitrou-Long has emerged as the critical piece in UNLV’s suddenly soaring Mountain West tournament chances. Over the course of the team’s five-game winning streak to close the regular season, Mitrou-Long has averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He has connected on 50.7 percent of his shots and 37.9 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Junior guard Amauri Hardy was surely speaking for the entire team — and the fan base — after the game when he expressed his hope that Mitrou-Long would be available to play when UNLV next takes the court on Thursday.

“I’m not sure the status of Elijah, but he’s been playing phenomenal,” Hardy said. “He’s been bringing great energy, great leadership. He’s been playing really well for us on both sides of the ball. That four-guard attack has really been deadly for us lately. He’s been holding up his end of the bargain and we’d love to have him on the court.”

Saturday’s game played out as a routine tune-up for UNLV. Otzelberger inserted Mitrou-Long into the starting lineup and opened with four guards for the first time, and UNLV raced to a 44-35 lead at the half. The Rebels stretched the lead to 20 midway through the half when Hardy and Mitrou-Long combined to score all 12 points in a 12-0 run, and it was cruise control from there.

Except Mitrou-Long wasn’t about to cruise to the finish line. He was flying down the court at top speed, attempting to generate a fast-break scoring chance when his legs got tangled in a crowd at the top of the key. He went sprawling, and now UNLV’s postseason chances may hinge on his medical diagnosis.

Otzelberger tried to focus on the good stuff, like his team’s 12-6 record in Mountain West play (the program’s most conference wins since the 2007-08 season).

“There were some real positives,” Otzelberger said, specifically mentioning Diong’s performance and Jonah Antonio’s 3-of-8 showing from 3-point range. “I’m proud of our guys because they continue to get better.”

Though he wasn’t specifically speaking about Mitrou-Long’s injury, Otzelberger also offered a clue as to how he expects his team to respond to any bad news they might receive in the next 48 hours.

“You’re always going to have adversity in life,” he said. “What our guys have demonstrated is when they get knocked down, they’re going to pick themselves up and be better for it.”

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