UNLV basketball preparing for adjustment season

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 | 2 a.m.

It’s adjustment season in college basketball.

After a Thursday afternoon practice, UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger said it’s about that time of year when scouting reports begin to sharpen and opponents begin targeting weaknesses more specifically.

And that goes double for a team with a big 10-0 target on its back, like undefeated UNLV.

Kruger has already noticed some adversaries changing up the way they attack the Scarlet and Gray.

“We’re seeing it across the board,” Kruger said. “With gameplans, they’re doing certain actions that we know are what we have to work on. They see it on film. And because of that, now it’s our turn to adjust and be prepared for what might be sent our way.”

One of the most obvious adjustments Kruger has seen is the way teams are paying added attention to sophomore guard Keshon Gilbert.

Gilbert has taken a leap this year, going from an all-defense, no-offense freshman to UNLV’s leading scorer and assist man (15.5 points, 3.7 assists per game). Instead of leaving him unguarded at the 3-point line, as teams chose to do last year, opponents are now committing extra defenders to keep him in check.

Kruger suspects Gilbert has gone from being an afterthought on opposing scouting reports to being the featured player.

“Your life changes when that happens,” Kruger said. “Now you’re being geared for. I think Wazzu was probably the first game where we really saw them get out and try to take things away for him, but he adjusted and made some really good plays.”

Gilbert scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting in UNLV’s win over Washington State.

On the other end of the floor, opponents continue to search for cracks in UNLV’s pressure defense.

With multiple on-ball defenders and a swarming scheme that closes down passing lanes, UNLV has made a living by getting deflections and forcing turnovers at one of the highest rates in the country (21.2 turnovers per game). To counter that, opponents have begun to attack by throwing cross-court passes over the defense.

Washington State had success with that strategy, which resulted in open catch-and-shoot jumpers and 13 made 3-pointers. 

Senior guard E.J. Harkless has noticed the broad change in approach and said Kruger and his staff have already prepped them to handle it.

“They’ve definitely had different offensive schemes,” Harkless said. “They’re not looking for themselves as much, they’re kind of looking to skip the ball. That’s something that — we make adjustments, too. We’ve got a great coaching staff that sits in there every day and makes a gameplan and implements it into practice, and then it’s on us to execute it. And I think we’re doing a good job of that.”

Senior forward Luis Rodriguez said he anticipates more opponents adopting that approach, and that UNLV is already practicing how to react.

“Teams are starting to skip more, so that’s kind of a defensive weakness, maybe, is guarding the skip,” he said. “So just locking in on that and knowing the rotation out of the skip and stuff like that. We’re working on that every day, getting better at rotations, talking even more than we already talk. We’ll be fine.”

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