UNLV Rebels guard Luis Rodriguez (15) goes up for a dunk during the second half of an NCAA basketball game against the Hawaii Warriors at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 | 10:44 p.m.
Luis Rodriguez never scored more than 15 points in a single game during his time at Mississippi, a span that covered four years and 90 contests. His scoring average topped out 7.6 points per game, and he shot a pedestrian 41.3% from the field.
While his defense earned him plenty of playing time, Rodriguez was merely an afterthought on offense.
But Kevin Kruger saw something in him, and that faith in Rodriguez is paying off in a big way for UNLV. The fifth-year senior scored a game-high 18 points on Wednesday, including eight during a critical second-half stretch to lead the Scarlet and Gray past Hawaii, 77-62.
It was the second straight game Rodriguez has led UNLV in scoring, following his 19-point explosion at San Diego on Saturday. For someone with a long track record of not being much of an offensive threat, Rodriguez sure has been finding a way to put the ball through the hoop lately.
The 6-foot-6 wing said he tried to keep it simple against Hawaii.
“I just told myself, if I’m open, shoot the ball,” Rodriguez said. “I put the work in, so I was just staying ready and staying confident.”
His confident shooting stroke came in very handy in UNLV’s first-ever game at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson.
UNLV built a 41-22 lead at halftime, but a teamwide scoring slump allowed Hawaii to crawl back within striking distance with eight minutes to play. The Warriors trimmed the lead to 57-48, and Rodriguez stroked a 3-pointer to restore the double-digit advantage.
Hawaii’s Harry Rouhliadeff canned a 3 on the other end to keep the pressure on, but Rodriguez squashed the momentum by draining a pull-up triple on the very next possession.
When UNLV’s next offensive trip came up empty, Rodriguez hung around in the backcourt and got a steal along the baseline. He dribbled in for an uncontested two-handed dunk to give the Scarlet and Gray a 65-51 lead with 6:23 to play.
Those eight points took the life out of Hawaii and secured the victory for UNLV, which is now 9-0 on the season.
Kruger recognized that Rodriguez turned the game with his offense.
“His steal in the second half for a dunk obviously was huge,” Kruger said. “And of course the 3’s he hit in transition. His ability to do that — spread the floor out, not make things too complicated, if he’s open, shoot it, if not, don’t — I think that’s what he did on that run when he was feeling pretty good.”
Sophomore guard Keshon Gilbert delivered another solid all-around performance with 13 points, four assists and three steals, and senior guards Justin Webster (13 points) and E.J. Harkless (10 points) also finished in double figures. Senior center David Muoka posted nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
It was Rodriguez’s stat line that stood out the most, however, and his numbers continue to trend upward.
He is now averaging 12.6 points per game and shooting a career-best 47.3% from the field. His 3-point accuracy is lagging behind at 29.7%, but he appears to be heating up from beyond the arc; after making just one of his first 16 long-distance attempts this year, he has drilled 10-of-21 over the last five games, including a 3-of-7 showing against Hawaii.
“He’s shooting it really well,” Kruger said, “or at least with more confidence. It’s a textbook shot. It’s in rhythm, it’s the same every single time. Whether a guy makes one or misses one early, when they shoot it the way Lu does, it kind of sends a little bit of a message, especially if it’s an open look, because you can tell that the guy is a shot maker.”
Kruger said that while Rodriguez wasn’t featured as a scorer at Mississippi, his consistent shooting mechanics foreshadowed an untapped ability.
Now, given the freedom to shoot more, Rodriguez is proving he can be just as impactful on offense as he is on defense.
“A lot of the reason for me transferring was to play a bigger role, because I knew I was capable of playing both ends of the floor,” Rodriguez said. “Coach Kruger and the staff trusted me from the jump and told me what my role would be and how I can be helpful to the team. So I’m just working hard to fulfill my end of the bargain.”
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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