Rebels’ Mooring needs confidence
UNLV better when he can create shots
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Three takeaways from the UNLV basketball team’s 82-76 overtime victory over San Jose State at The Event Center on Wednesday night:
Jovan Mooring needs to shoot.
No Rebel gets questioned more often by fans and media for his shot selection, but UNLV usually is better off when he’s letting it fly. On the nights his shot is missing, Mooring can contribute other ways, but that should be more the exception than the rule.
He took two shots against San Jose State, a rushed layup he missed on a fastbreak and a 3-pointer he made in overtime that gave the Rebels the lead for good.
Mooring and coach Marvin Menzies credited the Spartans’ defense for taking away opportunities, but this also is a player quite capable of creating his own shots. It’s almost like he heard the criticism about shot selection and wanted to prove he can win another way.
“Just playing basketball and taking what the defense gives me,” Mooring said.
“I think we were trying to get the ball inside,” Menzies said. “He was being a little more patient, but I think (Mooring) also had a lot of open shots that were inside/out that (he) kind of passed on. Learning to respect this game and play this game the right way is a process. Even though Jojo’s a senior, he’s still being educated in the game. At the end of the day, he hits a big 3 that makes a difference for us.”
Without that 3, the Rebels might not get out of there with the victory.
If UNLV is to return to its early season dominating form, Mooring needs to shoot. And he needs to shoot a lot.
Brandon Mccoy needs to improve his defense.
Foul trouble had a lot to do with it, but it was telling that Menzies played Cheikh Mbacke Diong on defense in overtime and Mccoy on offense. Menzies acknowledged as much in the postseason interview.
“We were going offense/ defense, and we were on defense more than we were on offense,” Menzies said. “That’s just how it worked out, and Brandon had four fouls.”
Mccoy was more aggressive defensively in this game, but he’s still not the rim protector the Rebels could use. A gifted offensive player who scored 23 points, the freshman has the capability to being a standout on both ends.
UNLV needs its killer instinct back.
The Rebels took it to teams early in the season, beating Rice 95-68, Utah 85-58 and Oral Roberts 92-66. They haven’t been the same the past couple of weeks.
Much of it is opponents having video on UNLV and knowing better which areas to attack. But much of it is unforced errors, with the Rebels committing 21 turnovers against the Spartans, including four in the final 4:21 of regulation in which an 11-point lead disappeared.
This is a game UNLV should have won by double digits. A similar performance will spell trouble in future games, including Saturday when Utah State visits the Thomas & Mack Center.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @ markanderson65 on Twitter.