Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Three takeaways: Rebels show some grit when it matters
UNLV didn’t panic in regulation, OTs
Three takeaways from the UNLV basketball team’s 8785 double-overtime victory over Air Force on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center:
1. UNLV FOUND A WAY
The Rebels played from behind most of the second half and looked done at the end of regulation when Jalen Poyser was given two free throws while down three points with 3.1 seconds left.
Either Hayden Graham or Frank Toohey should have secured the rebound for Air Force on Poyser’s second miss, but they battled each other for possession and the ball went out bounds. Yes, UNLV got lucky, but the Rebels still had to take advantage of the gift, and did just that when Jovan Mooring banked in a 3-pointer to force overtime.
The Rebels later watched the Falcons’ Jacob Van bank in his own 3 at the end of the first overtime to force a second one, but instead of getting down, they built a seven-point lead and hung on.
“I think everybody knows how tough it is to play Air Force,” UNLV coach Marvin Menzies said. “We all know how gritty they are and how experienced this team is, so to gut one out against them can lead to (momentum).”
2. MOORING IS NOT BORING
Menzies called out Mooring after Tuesday’s loss to San Diego State, saying he “let us down” after getting in foul trouble and not playing well.
Mooring answered by 30 scoring points against the Falcons, making two crucial 3-pointers and the clinching free throws.
But he committed five turnovers.
“I’m glad he made some shots, but he can play so much better,” Menzies said. “Throwing the ball all over the place. I expect more from him because he’s shown me he can do more.
”But he’s a winner. That’s what he does. He makes shots when you need him to make shots. He made some tough shots, and it shouldn’t be that difficult, though. He’s got to find a way to make the game a little bit easier on himself.”
Mooring heard what Menzies said Tuesday and took it to heart.
“I think I got a little frustrated in that game with some of the fouls,” Mooring said. “After watching film, I knew I had to be a lot smarter.”
3. THE REBELS’ DEFENSE CAME UP BIG
Air Force might be speeding up its game this season, but the Falcons are still known for executing precise back-door layups that have given previous UNLV teams fits.
Not on this day. The Falcons converted just one layup off a back-door pass.
“I thought the zone bothered them a little bit,” Menzies said. “You’re not going to guard all their stuff. You’re not going to train your team how to guard Air Force in two days. That’s not happening. But you can get them familiar with a couple of actions and drill those into your guys, and that was the one action that we said, ‘No back doors and no layups.’”