FOFC-FBCB: Journeys of Izulde Jestor (An MP Dynasty)

[Beeker]

Good to have this back, I was about to send out some recruiters to find you.

Looks like Jestor might just get over the Curse from Columbia yet.

Was there any penalty for not filling all your scholarship slots?

 

Now so long as those Durn Horny Toads don't poison the season.

[Jestor]

Good to have this back, I was about to send out some recruiters to find you.

Looks like Jestor might just get over the Curse from Columbia yet.

Was there any penalty for not filling all your scholarship slots?

 

Now so long as those Durn Horny Toads don't poison the season.

 

I only had one scholarship spot, which was filled by James Nall.

 

I have three spots this season and... well you'll see in the next update.

 

If I don't fill all the scholarships, then I could either save it for a transfer (if it's turned on in our league... I'm not sure that it is), or I get a walk-on and I *think* the scholarship rolls over to the next season, but I could be wrong.

[Jestor]

A Too Familiar Song Being Played

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The Wyoming Cowboys are the class of the Mountain West this season

 

A hot out of conference start followed by Mountain West mediocrity and recruiting struggles was the main thread of UNLV's 2033-34 season. And 2034-35? The same old yarn, it appears.

 

The Runnin' Rebels got back to .500 in conference play, beating last year's rivals TCU 100-70 at the Thomas and Mack Center. SG Emmett Mayes broke out with a 32 point night and PG Ruffino Sanchez had a career high in assists with 18 to go with his 15 points. C Val Gavin netted 15 points and 12 rebounds to complete the brilliant three-headed takedown of the Horned Frogs.

 

But this was no glorious triumph over a thorny foe. TCU is one of the Mountain West's worst teams this season at 8-12 (1-6) and they and Colorado State are the only two conference members with an overall record below .500.

 

Far more telling, and distressing for Runnin' Rebels fans, are the 97-76 loss in Colorado Springs to Air Force and UNLV's first home loss of the season, a 93-66 thrashing by #10 Wyoming, who at 6-1 is tied for the Mountain West lead with BYU.

 

"It's frustrating when you hit bumps like this", head coach Izulde Jestor said after the Cowboys game, in which the Rebels were thoroughly outplayed. "But we'll work our way through it and just keep fighting to make our case to the selection committee at the end of the season."

 

Recruiting Update

The Columbia Curse may not be dead yet, as PG Dennis Northrop chose University of San Diego and PF Leonel Leclerc, a High School All-American, committed to Providence.

 

The Leclerc loss is a particularly crippling blow. UNLV lacks size, rebounding, and blocking in the post and after whiffing on Odell Hodge (BYU) and Tony Vineyard (St. Mary's), it appears the Rebels will once again be shut out in efforts to land a big man.

[Jestor]

Frogs Curse Rebels To Sub-.500 Mountain West Season

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With a chance at .500 for the conference season and a 20 win year on the line, the UNLV Rebels frittered it all away

 

"I hate TCU even more than Reno right now," UNLV Runnin' Rebels head coach Izulde Jestor said after the regular season-ending 73-62 road loss to the Horned Frogs.

 

That loss, in which both teams shot terribly (34.3% for UNLV, 32.4% for TCU), guaranteed the Rebels' second straight 7-9 Mountain West finish, leaving UNLV 19-10 and agonizingly short of a 20th victory.

 

SF Edward Heisler was the only Rebel with a quality game, picking up 12 points and 15 rebounds.

 

Now the Rebels, who are ranked 129th in the RPI rankings, will now have to rely on a excellent conference tournament run to get into the NCAA tournament and appear far more likely to be headed to the NIT.

 

Despite the disappointing conclusion to the regular season, there were some positives so far this year. UNLV ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in Jestor's Sin City career, getting as high as #23 before starting Mountain West play.

 

The Rebels also look to have a respectable recruiting class with 3* Arizona All-State pickup SG Charles Irvin and their most recent addition, 2* PG Cristian Prado from El Dorado High School in Placerville, CA. Prado ranks low on most lists, the #27 PG in the West, but with Rufino Sanchez and walk-on James Govan, the Rebels' only natural PGs, graduating, he becomes a critical pickup.

 

2035 Mountain West Conference Standings

TEAM                CW  CL   Pct   W   L   Pct  RPI  Prestige
---------------------------------------------------------------
Brigham Young       13   3  .813  19  10  .655   21        58      
#15 Wyoming         12   4  .750  25   5  .833   30        56      
New Mexico          11   5  .688  21   9  .700   50        70      
Utah                 9   7  .563  21   8  .724   84        52      
UNLV                 7   9  .438  19  10  .655  128        68      
San Diego State      7   9  .438  19  11  .633   93        80      
Air Force            7   9  .438  14  15  .483   67        69      
Texas Christian      3  13  .188  10  19  .345  184        61      
Colorado State       3  13  .188   9  20  .310  126        43 

 

The 5 seed Runnin' Rebels face the 4 seed Utes in the second round of the Mountain West tournament. The two teams split the season series, each winning on their home court.

 

Now comes the tiebreaker and with it the right to face, in all probability, regular season champion BYU in the semifinals.

[Jestor]

20 Wins, But NIT-Bound Again

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The Utes couldn't stop PG Rufino Sanchez from behind the arc

 

After just missing the mark last season, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels returned to the 20 win plateau by beating the Utah Utes 82-68 in the second round of the Mountain West conference tournament. The Rebels rode a three-headed perimeter attack, senior PG Rufino Sanchez at the forefront with 17 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals on an astonishing 5/7 from downtown.

 

Unfortunately, UNLV's run ended with a 107-90 loss to regular season champion BYU in the semi-finals. Senior SF James Barksdale had the game of his career, hitting 7 of 8 shots for 19 points off the bench, but the Cougars proved too deep and to talented for the Runnin' Rebels. BYU went on to win the tournament and earn the automatic bid.

 

And so, for the second season in a row, Izulde Jestor's Runnin' Rebels are headed to the NIT. They've earned the #3 seed in the South Region, where they'll play Big 10 team Northwestern. The seeding is significantly higher than last year's #5 seed, when UNLV played a lackluster game against #4 seed Bradley and were blown out.

 

Northwestern was 17-14 (6-12) this and returns to the postseason after missing out last year, snapping 10 straight years of either NCAA or NIT appearances, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2033, NIT 3rd place in 2030, and an Elite 8 showing in 2027. The Wildcats also won the NIT in 2022, but did not have much success outside of the 2020s and early 2030s.

 

The matchup is a classic case of stellar offense vs. titanic defense. UNLV is #10 in the country in scoring at 79.6 points a game and Northwestern is #12 in points allowed at 59.6.

 

Starting Lineup - UNLV

PG Rufino Sanchez (Sr) - 13.4 PPG - 5.6 APG

SG Emmett Mayes (Jr) - 12.9 PPG

SF Edward Heisler (Jr*) - 13.1 PPG - 7 RPG - 1.1 SPG

PF Charlie Schubert (Jr*) - 12.1 PPG - 5.3 RPG

C Val Gavin (So*) - 7.5 PPG - 9.9 RPG

 

Starting Lineup - Northwestern

SG Cristopher Parker (Jr*) - 9.4 PPG - 1.7 SPG

SF Stephen Simpson (Sr*) - 14.0 PPG - 1.4 SPG

SF Laurence Luther (Jr) - 9.2 PPG

PF Walter Brown (Jr*) - 7.6 PPG 7.7 RPG

C Robert Parker (Sr*) - 8 PPG 7.2 RPG 1.8 BPG

 

Fun Fact: Both Luther and Brown were Virginia's Mr. Basketball and Top 25 players in their classes. Brown was also a High School All-American but neither one has earned Big 10 recognition in their collegiate careers.

 

In fact, the last Wildcat to get a Big 10 award was Robert Monk, a 2029 Big 10 All-Freshman Team member. The last Northwestern player to be named to an All-Big 10 team was Jimmy Motta, who won Big 10 Player of the Year and All-Big 10 1st Team Honors for the 2027 NIT Champions. Motta also ranks 4th all-time in Big 10 career points and holds the school scoring record with 2,357 career points, the only Wildcat to break the 2,000 mark.

 

Thoughts

Luther/Brown/Parker may be the best defensive 3/4/5 in the country. They're that talented. Simpson is a very good defender as well. The only potential weak spot is Parker, which matches up well with UNLV's leading scorer.

 

On paper, this battle favors Northwestern, who have a much more well-rounded lineup and the horses to shut down the Runnin' Rebels balanced attack. On the other hand, the Wildcats don't have anyone who can pass the ball, outside of RS freshman PG Scotty Tunstall, and he only gets 10 minutes a game.

 

UNLV can win this game if they force turnovers and try to overwhelm the Wildcats by sheer volume of shots taken. Northwestern likes to play a slow game, so a shootout would take them out of their rhythm.

[Beeker]

I think the NIT is a better fit for UNLV at this point, until they start to hammer home those should wins (and skewer the woeful Horny Toads properly) they likely don't deserve to be at the Big Dance. Hopefully they make a deep run in the NIT this time around.

 

That Northwestern match-up will probably come down not to your offense vs. their defense, but their offensive vs. your defense. If you can find a way to stifle them, then the 'rain of jumpers' should eventually earn the Runnin' (and Gunnin') Rebels the win.

[Jestor]

I think the NIT is a better fit for UNLV at this point, until they start to hammer home those should wins (and skewer the woeful Horny Toads properly) they likely don't deserve to be at the Big Dance. Hopefully they make a deep run in the NIT this time around.

 

That Northwestern match-up will probably come down not to your offense vs. their defense, but their offensive vs. your defense. If you can find a way to stifle them, then the 'rain of jumpers' should eventually earn the Runnin' (and Gunnin') Rebels the win.

 

Yeah, realistically we don't have the stars to be anything more than a one and done in the Big Dance at this point. Next season is really going to be our last window for the NCAAs before we go into rebuilding mode because of my recruiting struggles my first two seasons.

 

I'm just hoping to make some noise in the NIT this year, but after our Bradley bomb last season, I'm a bit pessimistic we'll even get out of this round.

[Jestor]

Progress and Deja Vu

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Bradley basketball band members are happy after the Braves' second round NIT win over UNLV

 

Add the Bradley Braves to UNLV Runnin' Rebels head coach Izulde Jestor's most hated teams.

 

For the second year in a row, the Braves knocked out the Rebels in the NIT, this time as a two seed in the second round. The final score was 98-87, as UNLV couldn't match Bradley junior SG Richard Rex's 30 points or senior PG Jamison Bloomfield's 14 points and 10 assists. The Rebels came close with PF Charlie Schubert's 26 points and senior reserve James Barksdale's 10 bench points, but it wasn't enough. Not when Bradley outrebounded UNLV 50-32 and outshot the Rebels 50% to 41.7%.

 

UNLV senior PG Rufino Sanchez closed out his college career with 17 points and 7 assists.

 

"It's tough to go out like this", Sanchez said after the game. "I was only here two years so I didn't get to go the NCAAs like James did. It hurts, but at least I got to be here."

 

Sanchez also got to be part of Jestor's first postseason win, a gritty 51-42 victory over Northwestern in the first round headlined by C Val Gavin's 10 points, 11 rebounds, steal, and blocked shot and by the Rebels' 42.3% to the Wildcats' 31% shooting.

 

"Hopefully we'll be in the NCAA tournament next season," Jestor said. "If not, then we'll be back here in the NIT, making a deeper run than this year. In any case, we've made improvement this year. We got back to the 20 win mark, came back to the NIT as a higher seed, and won a game. I'm proud of these guys and I'm looking forward to next season."

 

The Braves will face the 1 seed Wisconsin Badgers in the NIT South Regional Final.

[Jestor]

UNLV Gets Last Commit; Ranks #114 In Recruiting Rankings

 

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels filled out their last recruiting spot with 2* prospect SG Dominique Dugardin. A Montreal, Quebec native, Dugardin averaged 25.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.4 blocks a game for his high school. He doesn't project to have much ceiling beyond his current game, but Dugardin should be a useful reserve in the future.

 

The Rebels finished with the 114th ranked class, almost 200 places higher than their 309th ranked class last season. The lone player from that group, SG James Nall, did not see the court this season after refusing to redshirt.

 

UNLV 2034-2035 Season Awards

SF Edward Heisler (Jr) - All-Mountain West 1st Team

12.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1 SPG

 

SG Emmett Mayes (Jr) - All-Mountain West 2nd Team

12.8 PPG

 

PG Rufino Sanchez (Sr) - All-Mountain West 2nd Team

13.3 PPG, 5.5 APG

[Jestor]

Assistants Bonnell, Porter Fired

 

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels announced today that recruiting coordinator Andrew Bonnell and lead scout Thomas Porter have been fired. Disappointing recruiting results the last two seasons led to Bonnell's ouster, while Porter's ability to recognize talent was openly questioned after the newest recruits came in for a first look.

 

"We wish both Andrew and Thomas the best of luck in their future endeavors", said head coach Izulde Jestor.

 

The lone holdover on the staff is top assistant Eric Fruge, who has been praised for his ability to get the most out of players, particularly with a roster that has steadily declined in talent since Jestor's arrival.

[Jestor]

Bonnell, Porter Retained By Court Order; Rebels Land Prized Recruits

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UNLV recruiting coordinator Andrew Bonnell is all smiles at the Signing Day conference

 

A wild offseason continued as Andrew Bonnell and Thomas Porter sued UNLV to keep their jobs as recruiting coordinator and lead scout, respectively, on the men's basketball team. Their lawyers argued in court that the timing was unfair to their prospects of finding a new job in the college ranks and, in a shocking decision, the court agreed.

 

That led to a stormy situation between Izulde Jestor and the two assistants, but they worked out their issues over the summer and as a result, the staff banded together to land what will almost certainly be the best recruiting class of Jestor's UNLV tenure.

 

The biggest get is Top 100 recruit PG David Upton from Riverbank High School in Riverbank, CA. Ranked #88 overall and the 17th best point guard in the country, the 5'11 senior has an astounding 4.39 A/TO ratio and, in the words of Jestor, "could be the starting PG for the Runnin' Rebels right now". Upton's a 4 star recruit, the first one Jestor has ever landed. He choose UNLV over Pac-10 schools Stanford and California, fellow Mountain West school San Diego State, and Hawaii.

 

Less heralded, but equally important to UNLV's future fortunes, is 7'1, 235 pound C Ken Elias from Valentine Rural High School in Valentine, NE. He brings desperately needed size and rebounding to the Rebels, especially with the impending graduation of PF Charlie Schubert. In addition to his rebounding, he has excellent handling for a big man. Elias is also Nebraska's Mr. Basketball and an All-State player for the season, another feather in Jestor's cap. He's ranked as the Midwest's 18th-best center and the 3* prospect should be a valuable part of the Rebels for some time to come. UNLV and Minnesota were the final two candidates on Elias's list and the promise of immediate playing time, including a likely starting spot, swayed him to the Rebels.

[Jestor]

UNLV Runnin' Rebels 2036-37 Men's Basketball Preview

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Unfortunately, this defense didn't work for one of the Runnin' Rebels starters

 

It was a disappointing training camp and lead-up to the season. First, highly heralded freshman SG Charles Irvin, despite having considerable upside, failed to make great strides and showed a complete disregard for the academic side of college. Then, two-time All-Mountain West senior SF Edward Heisler was suspended for the fall semester after flunking a spring course in Spanish.

 

As a result, it could be an ugly year for the Runnin' Rebels, who open with a particularly brutal schedule of #16 Maryland, #8 Oregon, and #3 Indiana, an unholy Top 25 trio that puts the early season hot streaks of Izulde Jestor's first two UNLV squads in serious danger. In fact, the out of conference schedule this year looks so tough, and the Mountain West looks so formidable, with #18 BYU the top team, that repeating the 20 win season of last year seems but a pipe dream. Even returning to the NIT for the third straight year is going to be difficult.

 

A look at the projected starting lineup for the first half of the season:

 

Opening Night Lineup

PG Emmmett Mayes (Sr)*

SG James Nall (So)

SF Dominique Dugardin (Fr)

PF Charlie Schubert (RS Sr)*

C Val Gavin (RS Jr)*

 

* - returning starter

 

Mayes, an All-Mountain West 2nd Team selection last year, Schubert, who incidentally was a High School All-American in 2031, and Gavin will be counted on to provide the leadership and the offense for much of the season. Nall, who didn't play a single minute after refusing to redshirt last year, becomes the starter by default, while Dugardin's starting as a freshman isn't a sign of great ability as much as it is his being the team's best 3 point shooter right now and the best all-around defender after Heisler's suspension.

 

It's an incredibly small, three-guard lineup, with the 6'9 Schubert and Gavin the tallest players. As a result, the Runnin' Rebels will again run a fast-paced offense designed to tire out the bigger teams.

 

On the bench is 6th man C Darrell Jenkins, a junior big with excellent passing and handling for the postion, who believe it or not, could see minutes at PG, so weak is the team right now at the spot. Freshman PG Cristian Pardo slots in as the 7th man, with the aforementioned SG Charles Irvin as the 8th man.

 

The Rebels are extremely shallow on big men this year and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Ken Elias next season to finally give them some height and size. It's a very young bench and team overall that will rely heavily on its two starting seniors to produce, something Schubert has yet to do at an elite level despite an entire college career of fans waiting for him to break out.

 

Speaking of breakout, Val Gavin was easily the biggest star of the camp and UNLV will be looking for him to continue the steady improvement he's made his first two seasons. In fact, the Rebels will be gearing their offense toward the inside overall.

 

The Mountain West Quick-Glance

#18 BYU is clearly the class of the conference with their supremely talented backcourt of PG Colin Greig (Sr) and SG Andrew Hendershot (RS Jr). But New Mexico, who has a stellar perimeter game and won the NIT last year, can't be counted out.

 

Then there's San Diego State, a second round NIT team like UNLV last year, who returns 4 starters and has a deep, balanced lineup. TCU, UNLV's archrivals the last two years, only won 11 games last year, leading to a coach firing and the hiring of Dean Sanders, formerly of Loyola Marymount (20 win season and NIT appearance in 2033, the team's first postseason appearance since the NIT in 2021, also the last 20 win season in school history), and a pedestrian career at Furman. The Horned Frogs are too talented to have a losing record, but it remains to be seen how they shake out.

 

Wyoming and Air Force look comparable to UNLV, although the Cowboys won 27 games and made the NCAA tournament last year, while Colorado State and Utah are the clear dogs of the conference.

 

Projected Standings

BYU

San Diego State

New Mexico

Wyoming

Air Force

UNLV

TCU

Colorado State

Utah

 

Prognosis for Tournament

NIT, if the Runnin' Rebels are lucky.

[Jestor]

2 Out Of 3 Just Fine For Runnin' Rebels

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The win over the #8 ranked Oregon Ducks was arguably the biggest of Izulde Jestor's career

 

Three straight Top 25 teams to start the year in Las Vegas looked to spell trouble for this year's Runnin' Rebels squad. But UNLV proved far more resourceful than anyone predicted and head coach Izulde Jestor looked a genius as the Rebels pulled off two straight upsets before losing a relatively close one to the #3 team in the country.

 

The season opener featured a 94-83 upset of #16 ranked Maryland. True freshman G Dominique Dugardin won Player of the Game with a sensational collegiate debut: 16 points on 6/14 shooting with 9 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal. Dugardin tied for the second-best Rebel in scoring with PF Charlie Schubert (8/19 with 8 rebounds). Sophomore SG James Nall had an excellent college debut as well, shooting 6/8 for 15 points and 7 rebounds in just 19 minutes, and senior PG Emmett Mayes had a respectable all around game of 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists on 4/8 shooting, 3/4 from long-range, despite 5 turnovers. But the best outing may have come from 6th man PG/C Darrell Jenkins with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists on 7/15 shooting, 3/3 from 3 point range, in just 21 minutes.

 

UNLV also limited the Terrapins to 39% shooting and held the Maryland bench to just 4 total points. The Runnin' Rebels dominated on the offensive glass, with 16 rebounds on 40 missed shots, a 40% offensive rebound rate.

 

The Runnin' Rebels didn't stop there, knocking off #8 Oregon 88-81 on a blistering 11/16 for 24 points and 7 rebounds from Player of the Game PF Charlie Schubert, a do-everything game from C Val Gavin (9 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists), and another fine performance from G Dominique Dugardin, who hit 5/11 shots for 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. PG/C Darrell Jenkins played well, too, with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on 6/8 shooting off the bench. True freshman PG Cristian Pardo just missed the first double-digit game of his career with 9 points on 3/6 shooting as a reserve.

 

#3 Indiana stopped UNLV's magic streak, downing the Runnin' Rebels 73-65 in front of a sold-out Thomas and Mack Center crowd. G Dominique Dugardin had his worst night ever, either in high school or college, shooting a shocking 2 of 13. PF Charlie Schubert double-doubled with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks and PG/C Darrell Jenkins kept UNLV alive with 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, but in the end, the Rebels couldn't stop Hoosier PG Anatole Dupire, who finished with a game high 20 points on 7/14 shooting, 6 of 8 from downtown. Nor could UNLV stop misfiring on 3 point attempts, hitting just 5 of 24 treys.

 

Still, it's a far stronger start to the season for UNLV than anyone expected. Originally projected to go 0-3 to start the year, the Runnin' Rebs are 2-1 and looking like they can still be in the conversation to repeat their .500 Mountain West performances and return to the NIT.

 

Or maybe, just maybe, they'll find a way to finally break through to the Big Dance. If their early season form is any indication, that just might be a real possibility.

[Beeker]

Good to see this back, I was afraid it had disappeared.

You must have been delighted with those opening 3 games and likely did more to repair your damaged prestige with that showing than almost anything else you've done previously. Another NIT already? Chances of an NCAA invite to the biggest dance in college?

 

Also, a Point Guard/Center? That just seems wrong.

[Jestor]

Good to see this back, I was afraid it had disappeared.

You must have been delighted with those opening 3 games and likely did more to repair your damaged prestige with that showing than almost anything else you've done previously. Another NIT already? Chances of an NCAA invite to the biggest dance in college?

 

Also, a Point Guard/Center? That just seems wrong.

 

I'd say we've got a very good shot at the NIT if we can keep to form, especially when Heisler comes back from academic suspension. The NCAA, probably not so much, but stranger things have happened.

 

PG/C does seem wrong, until you consider that Jenkins is 6'8, 240 lbs and has the best passing/handling combo of anyone on our team but Mayes. So, very undersized center.

 

Yes, we're that bad off at PG right now and it only gets worse with Mayes graduating this year. That's why Upton is such a huge get. 4* floor general PG = win, even if he's only 5'11.

 

We had some snafus occur, which is why there was a brief lull in the dynasty. I'll try and update after today's sim to cover the last two sims (since we only had one game the last one), but it's more likely the next update will come Wednesday. I've a stack of papers to finish grading, two manuscripts to finish reading and commenting on, and my own manuscript to work on, in addition to a portfolio.

[Jestor]

Runnin' Rebels On 3 Game Win Streak; Fill Recruiting Class

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PG Merlin Hargrove may be short, but he's got game

 

Preseason reports of UNLV's demise appear to have been exaggerated. The Runnin' Rebels are once again off to a fast early season start, following up their two of three wins over Top 25 teams with three straight wins over decidedly inferior competition.

 

First came the 82-70 win over Jacksonville State, keyed by PF Charlie Schubert's 20 points and SG/SF Dominique Dugardin's 19 points. C Val Gavin also had his fourth straight game of 12+ rebounds, finishing with 8 points and 13 boards.

 

Next up, a complete 103-74 rout of Kent State, featuring the following from the starting lineup:

 

PG Emmett Mayes - 11 points, 5 assists

SG James Nall - 14 points, 6 rebounds

SF Dominique Dugardin - 15 points, 12 rebounds

PF Charlie Schubert - 19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks

C Val Gavin - 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks

 

And finally, an 89-71 triumph over a spirited George Mason squad, keyed by Charlie Schubert's career high 31 points, along with 9 rebounds and 4 assists, and Val Gavin's 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.

 

Thus, the Runnin' Rebels are now 5-1, with all games at the Thomas and Mack Center. They'll finally hit the road on December 14th and 16th, with games against Norfolk State and Texas Southern, after another home game on December 11th versus Cal State-Northridge.

 

Recruiting Class Update

It took three seasons, but UNLV head coach Izulde Jestor finally brought another High School All-American to Sin City, just when Charlie Schubert is getting ready to graduate. PG Merlin Hargrove, who was also North Dakota's Mr. Basketball, may be another 5'11 guard to go with 4* David Upton, and may project as more of a SG than a true PG, but there's no denying the Washburn, ND native's talent. The Washburn High senior posted a dazzling 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals a game while shooting 58.1% from the field, 49.6% from 3 point range in his final season. Scouts say he also has shut down defense potential on the perimeter and it's only his height and his lack of passing that prevent him from ranking higher than #282 nationally. But he already projects as UNLV's best jump shooter and 3 point shot right now and will definitely be in the mix for a starting spot in the Runnin' Rebels small-ball lineup next year.

 

In fact, if current projections hold true, all three of the Runnin' Rebels incoming freshmen could start right away alongside Val Gavin and Dominique Dugardin, in what would be the youngest lineup in Jestor's tenure.

 

But as promising as the future is, there's still a very good season unfolding right now that's worthy of attention.

[Jestor]

Runnin' Rebels Win Streak Ends At 5

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These red dart guns have become popular on campus after the nicknaming of a certain UNLV player

 

College basketball fans in Sin City and across the country were shocked when the Texas Southern Tigers stunned the UNLV Runnin' Rebels 88-76 in Houston to hand the Rebels just their second loss of the season. Free throws proved the difference, as the Tigers were 29 of 38 from the charity stripe, compared to just 6 of 16 attempts for the Rebels.

 

"It's always disappointing to lose", said a grim UNLV head coach Izulde Jestor, "But Terrence Hilliard has done a great job with Texas Southern. Last year was his first season and they won 20 games and made the NIT."

 

Still, it was a disappointing defeat, even as Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin, UNLV's surprise freshman swingman, continued his fine season with 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, including 5 of 7 from 3 point range, and 6th man Darrell Jenkins contributed 12 points on 5/8 shooting. But Texas Southern did an excellent job of holding Charlie Schubert to his worst game of the season - just 9 points on 4/15 shooting.

 

Prior to the loss, UNLV crushed Cal State-Northridge 91-55 on Charlie Schubert's 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks, and C Val Gavin's 10 points, 18 rebounds and 3 assists. Emmett Mayes recorded 16 points and 5 rebounds and Darrell Jenkins contributed 11 points, 6 assists and 3 steals to lead the reserve.

 

The Runnin' Rebels also passed their first road test with ease, eliminating Norfolk State 82-68. Val Gavin put up 17 points and 16 rebounds, Charlie Scubert added 19 points and 8 rebounds, Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin scored 18 on 8 of 12 shooting and grabbed 6 rebounds, and Emmett Mayes notched 18 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, albeit on a sloppy 5 for 14 outing.

 

UNLV now stands at 7-2 and host Marshall and play at Fresno State before opening Mountain West play against Air Force at the Thomas and Mack Center.

[Beeker]

This has to be a pleasant surprise since I think you'd have taken being 5-4 at this point to be good results. 7-2 is fantastic!

 

Hopefully the Runnin' n' (Dart) Gunnin' Rebels can keep up this sort of play in the Mountain West and finally do something of note in the NIT (or NCAA) and really start to make strides in the desert.

[Jestor]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Beeker" data-cite="Beeker" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="28588" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>This has to be a pleasant surprise since I think you'd have taken being 5-4 at this point to be good results. 7-2 is fantastic!<p> </p><p> Hopefully the Runnin' n' (Dart) Gunnin' Rebels can keep up this sort of play in the Mountain West and finally do something of note in the NIT (or NCAA) and really start to make strides in the desert.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yeah I'm surprised to be where we are, although I honestly thought we'd be 6-3, maybe 5-4. We had another sim today, but only one game. I don't have access to FBCB atm, so I'm working with the league commish with regards to suspensions, injuries, etc.</p><p> </p><p> Speaking of which, I now have a potential suspension-related dilemma.</p>

[Jestor]

Win Streak Anew, But A Costly Injury

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/unlvairforce.jpg

Air Force's #19 ranking didn't scare UNLV in the Runnin' Rebels Mountain West opener

 

The hiccup to Texas Southern got smoothed out and the Runnin' Rebels are winning again, despite an injury that hurts them at one of the worst possible times.

 

UNLV returned home to beat Marshall 91-80 via SF Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin's 20 points and 4 assists on 7/14 shooting, 4/8 from long range. They also got 18 points and 5 rebounds (7/12) from SG James Nall, 16 points and 7 rebounds from PF Charlie Schubert, and 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals from benchman PG/PF/C Darrell Jenkins. The best performance against the Thunderin' Herd, however, may have come from PG Emmett Mayes, who posted an 11 point, 10 assist, 7 rebound, 3 steal double-double.

 

The senior PG Emmett Mayes scored 10 points in 18 minutes in the Runnin' Rebels next game, a 79-68 road win over Fresno State, but tore his abdominal muscle and was declared Out for 3 weeks. SF Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin picked up his game as a result, netting his first collegiate double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and PG/C Darrell Jenkins came through in the clutch with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Losing Mayes was partially made up for by the return of Edward Heisler from academic suspension, although he was a dreadful 2 for 9 his first game back, with 5 turnovers only partially mitigated by 3 steals.

 

Then came the matchup against #19 Air Force in the conference opener. Edward Heisler started at SG and although he had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals, he shot just 6 for 18 and had 6 turnovers, continuing some worrying trends. Fortunately, C Val Gavin was there with a hot shooting night, 8/11 for 20 points and 11 rebounds and SG James Nall was 5/7, 4/4 from 3 point range for 16 points in 11 bench minutes. PG Darrell Jenkins also played well, hitting 5 of 8 shots for 12 points in his starting PG debut and looks to be the starter there until Mayes returns. The Runnin' Rebels held the Falcons to just 39.7% shooting and came away with the 86-78 upset in Las Vegas.

 

That team defensive mantra came through again on the road against Stephen F. Austin, the Runnin' Rebels holding SFA to just 32.7% shooting, 20% from long-range, in a 76-67 win. SG Edward Heisler had a great second game, knocking down 7 of 15 for 18 points and 8 rebounds with just one turnover. PF Charlie Schubert came back to life with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, SF Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin overcame an 0/4 from long range night to hit all 4 of his other shots for 12 points, and PG Darrell Jenkins was turnover free in netting 13 points and 5 rebounds.

 

What Edward Heisler's addition means for UNLV

Suddenly the Rebels have a 6'7, 222 lb shooting guard and, in the wake of Mayes's abdominal tear, a 6'8, 240 lb point guard. Those are huge mismatch problems for a lot of teams.

 

The reason Heisler 's been a 2nd and 1st Team All-Mountain West selection the last two seasons - his defense. That's shown in his first three games back, as he's held his opponents to 0 points, 8 points, and 6 points, a 4.6 point per game average. Opposing players have been just 5/14 against him, a 35.7% shooting rate, which, ironically enough, is the exact same thing as his current shooting average, his lowest in four seasons.

 

That defensive orientation has carried over to PG as well, where the tall Jenkins, who originally played the post in high school to 5 of 18 shooting (27.8%) in his two starts, making up for a lack of quickness and jumping with bruising strength.

 

Coming Up Next

A brutal two game road stretch at San Diego State and BYU, both probable losses as the Aztecs are 7-0 at home and the Cougars have gone 2-0 in Mountain West play so far. On the bright side, UNLV had the #8 RPI in the country and received 2 votes in the latest Top 25 poll. Air Force is still the only Top 25 team in the Mountain West at #21.

 

PG Emmett Mayes will miss the next 5 games due to injury, all of which are Mountain West matchups. As a result, the Runnin' Rebels promising nonconference start could once again wilt in the second half of the season. His loss not only results in Darrell Jenkins as the starter, but true freshman PG Cristian Pardo will see increased playing time.

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/MWStandings.jpg

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/stats.jpg

[Jestor]

#25 Again; Two More Games Till Mayes's Return

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/byu-cheerleader.jpg

BYU cheerleader power proved too much for UNLV in the Runnin' Rebels' first MWC loss of the year

 

Concerns about losing PG Emmett Mayes were partially alleviated as the Runnin' Rebels improved to 3-1 in Mountain West play, re-entered the Top 25 at #25, and guaranteed a no worse than .500 conference record before Mayes returns.

 

A tense, see-saw game in San Diego saw UNLV emerge with a 90-86 victory to stay unbeaten in Mountain West play, a critical road win keyed by PF Charlie Schubert's 11/13 for 26 points and SG Edward Heisler's terrific 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals on a much more acceptable 6 of 13 shooting with 3 turnovers.

 

Then came BYU and the Cougars shredded the Runnin' Rebels with stifling defense to win 78-61. UNLV shot just 38.6% from the floor, including a shocking 17.6% from 3 point range. Only PF Charlie Schubert (17 points, 8/13) and PG Darrell Jenkins (10 points, 5 assists, 2 steals) had games even close to accurate.

 

Back home in Las Vegas, the hated TCU Horned Frogs were run out, 81-72, Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin's 0 of 7 night compensated for by a balanced attack. PF Charlie Schubert reprised his 8/13 for 16 points and 5 assists, C Val Gavin matched Schubert's 16, going 6 for 9, and SG Edward Heisler made it three 16 point scorers for UNLV, also on 6 for 9. PG Darrell Jenkins netted 14 points, reserve Charles Irvin 10 to lead the second team.

 

UNLV's #25 ranking is the first for the Runnin' Rebels since about this time last year, and they and Air Force's #20 ranking gives the Mountain West two teams in the Top 25.

 

On Tap

A home game versus Wyoming, followed by a road game at the Utes, where UNLV will hope for a better Utah visit than the one they just had.

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/MWC2.jpg

[Beeker]

Still, 13-3 has to be a pleasing sight. Personally, I think I'd have been cheering for the BYU cheerleaders too. Dart Gun seems to be wildly erratic; lights out one night, wouldn't hit water if he fell of a ship the next night. A bit more consistency and he might just land that Nerf sponsorship after all.

 

Wyoming shouldn't provide much of a challenge. The Utes... who knows which teams (UNLV & Utah) show up. Hopefully the Rebels on the Run can be better than 500.

 

And I really don't get how the game ranks collegs. Why is TCU 2-2 (5-12) ahead of New Mexico also 2-2 (but 10-6?) How much does strength of schedule play into National rankings? I see Air Force and UNLV, but why no BYU?

 

Keep up bringing the good entertaining reads.

[Jestor]

Still, 13-3 has to be a pleasing sight. Personally, I think I'd have been cheering for the BYU cheerleaders too. Dart Gun seems to be wildly erratic; lights out one night, wouldn't hit water if he fell of a ship the next night. A bit more consistency and he might just land that Nerf sponsorship after all.

 

Wyoming shouldn't provide much of a challenge. The Utes... who knows which teams (UNLV & Utah) show up. Hopefully the Rebels on the Run can be better than 500.

 

And I really don't get how the game ranks collegs. Why is TCU 2-2 (5-12) ahead of New Mexico also 2-2 (but 10-6?) How much does strength of schedule play into National rankings? I see Air Force and UNLV, but why no BYU?

 

Keep up bringing the good entertaining reads.

 

Thanks for the comment. We actually had 3 games today; I forgot the sim ran to the end of the month. With regards to TCU ahead of New Mexico, the Horned Frogs were ahead of the Lobos according to some tiebreaker (They didn't play until this sim).

 

As for the rankings system, I'll go more into that next post, because there's another oddity that crops up.

[Jestor]

Despite Losses, UNLV Climbs To #22

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/frustratedunlv.jpg

Frustration was evident on the UNLV bench after a heartbreaking loss in Salt Lake City

 

The Runnin' Rebels may be running into their usual up and down fortunes in Mountain West play, but they're rising in the polls and now stand at #22 in the country, much to the surprise of the rest of the conference.

 

UNLV took care of business at home against Wyoming, routing the Cowboys 94-62 on 23 points from freshman SF Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin's 5 of 11 from 3 point range clinic, 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals from SG Edward Heisler, a quietly effective 15 points from PF Charlie Schubert, and a loud 14 point, 16 rebound, 6 assist double-double from C Val Gavin. The Runnin' Rebels shot 50.7% to the Pokes' 33.3% and looked masterful and even found a minute of playing time for the back ahead of schedule Emmett Mayes.

 

Two nights later, heartache struck in Salt Lake City. Despite a heroic 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals from SG Edward Heisler (8/11) and a matching 21 points from SG Dominique "Dart Gun" Dugardin on 50% shooting, the Utes snuck past the Rebels 80-78. Utah did an excellent job of containing UNLV's frontcourt, recording 5 blocks that proved the differencemaker in this otherwise very tight contest. They also had 25 FT attempts to UNLV's 19.

 

On the last day of January, the New Mexico Lobos, tapped to be a Mountain West contender, blew out UNLV 89-56 in what Runnin' Rebels head coach Izulde Jestor called, "the single worst game we've played this season". Little-used PF Chris Champlain had a career high 10 points on 5/9 shooting, but the junior was the only one who shot even remotely close to respectable, as UNLV shot 33.3% and looked lost in Albuquerque.

 

UNLV's ascension in the polls is explained by their #2 RPI and by the fact that, as one pollster put it, "They're back at full strength now, with Emmett Mayes returning to run the offense. The Runnin' Rebels have had one of the toughest schedules in the country. Let's not forget they're 5-2 this year against RPI Top 50 teams this year, either. UNLV has a real opportunity to show it's worthy of its ranking now."

 

Not only to show they're worthy of their ranking, but actually finish .500 or better in conference play. In Jestor's first two seasons, UNLV has tumbled to 7-9. At 4-3, with five conference home games remaining, they're a good shot to finish at least 8-8, if not with a winning record. The Runnin' Rebels are 10-1 at the Thomas and Mack Center this year and 4-4 on the road.

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/MWCHalfway.jpg

 

Air Force is ranked a spot below UNLV at #23, surprisingly enough, and BYU continues to be unranked, not even receiving votes in the polls. Let's take a look at each team's season breakdown.

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/AirForce.jpg

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/BYU.jpg

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/UNLVStats.jpg

 

As you can see by the RPI and the performance against the upper echelon RPI teams, UNLV is quite clearly the best team by those measures. But how did preseason #18 BYU drop out of the Top 25?

 

A 68-55 home loss to Marshall, who despite being 15-4, 6-1 in the MAC and with the 15th best RPI, is unranked and, more damningly, a 55-50 home loss to Western Illinois. The Leathernecks are 9-10 (2-0) in the lowly Summit League. Those are the sorts of losses that simply aren't forgivable, especially when UNLV's only comparable non-conference loss was a road game at 14-5 (7-2) Texas Southern.

 

Air Force, meanwhile, had a Top 25 home loss to Arkansas, whereas UNLV lost to #10 Indiana in their only home loss. The Falcons also lost at home to mid-pack Big 12 team Colorado, who is 11-7 (2-3).

 

Of course, all of this can be reversed on its head with the remainder of the conference season, so the second half of Mountain West play is going to be critical for the Top 25 and NCAA fates and dreams of all three teams.

 

UNLV's mid-conference player stats:

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/RebsPlayerMWChalf.jpg

 

And since we're discussing Top 25 matters, the Top 25 as of this week:

 

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o395/Izulde08/Top25.jpg

[Beeker]

I will never fully understand college ranking systems in any sport. At least basketball has the Tournament (and NIT - but honestly, that's like winning Miss Congeniality at a beauty pageant, no one starts the contest hoping to win it.) That RPI makes sense to show how it rewards those teams who challenge their players and go after tougher schedules and not just reward those who play SouthEast Northern Appalachian State. It also puts you guys in pretty good shape *IF* you can find some consistent Dart Gunnering. My posts pale in comparison to yours, but I enjoy college basketball and hey... Dayton are finally number one! All it took was a computer program and 20 years. =D