Under Kruger, UNLV getting bigger as season goes on

Two years ago, UNLV went on a late-season run under-then coach T.J. Otzelberger, winning five straight to close the regular season on a high note. Included in that stretch was a memorable victory at San Diego State, which was undefeated and ranked No. 4 in the nation.

That 2019-20 surge was powered by small-ball, as Otzelberger increasingly leaned on four-guard lineups designed to stretch the floor and attack open space.

The current UNLV squad is once again playing good basketball to close out the regular season, but Kevin Kruger is doing it a bit differently. The first-year coach has leaned on bigger lineups of late, and it’s working.

The Scarlet and Gray have won three straight and four of their last five to move to 17-11 overall and fifth place in the Mountain West (9-6). And for most of that time Kruger has had two big men on the floor together.

A look at UNLV’s most-used lineups this season reveals that two of the four most efficient units feature a more traditional alignment, with two forwards providing size under the basket:

One factor driving Kruger’s recent strategy is improved health. He recruited his first incoming class with the intention of building a long, defensive-minded squad, and Victor Iwuakor was perhaps the best example of that ideal. A shoulder injury limited him early in the year, however. Now the 6-foot-7 forward is back at close to full strength now and performing well (though he did exit Tuesday’s win at UNR due to injury).

Another factor is David Muoka’s development; at 6-foot-10 he is the tallest player on the team and the best shot blocker, but it took him a while to get up to speed after transferring from Lamar. Over the past few weeks Muoka has emerged as a powerful rim protector and now features in two of UNLV’s four most effective lineups.

With Iwuakor, Muoka and the always steady Royce Hamm (6-foot-9), Kruger finds himself with a stable of big men who can defend inside and outside and keep UNLV on top of the rebounding battle. The Scarlet and Gray rank first in the Mountain West in offensive rebounding, second in defensive rebounding and first in total rebounding.

It appears Kruger is gravitating more toward size as the conference tournament approaches. In the last two games — wins over Colorado State and UNR — Kruger played two-big lineups for a combined 45 minutes and 15 seconds, and the rotation of Hamm, Iwuakor and Muoka rewarded him by outscoring opponents 78-63 while working in tandem.

So while Bryce Hamilton is getting most of the attention and most of the accolades (and deservedly so), it’s not all about guard play for UNLV. They may not produce as many highlights, but the team’s big men are making their mark.

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