Busting Brackets
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UNLV Basketball: Getting the Rebels back to glory days as a program

By Jason Burgess

LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Marvin Menzies of the UNLV Rebels reacts during his team's game against the Nevada Wolf Pack during their game at the Thomas
LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Marvin Menzies of the UNLV Rebels reacts during his team's game against the Nevada Wolf Pack during their game at the Thomas /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 28: Shakur Juiston
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 28: Shakur Juiston /

Recent recruiting success

With so much turnover on the bench in the last 27 years, it is not hard to imagine that the rosters fielded by the Rebels were just as unstable with players wanting to leave a seemingly rudderless ship. Despite that, the team was still able to recruit at a relatively high level, as Rice was able to recruit a pair of one-and-done players to campus, big men Anthony Bennett, who would go on to be the top pick in the 2013 NBA draft, and Stephen Zimmerman who played during Rice’s last season before leaving for the NBA where he was drafted by the Orlando Magic.

Menzies was able to continue the top-notch recruiting despite a last-place finish in the Mountain West during his first season. Menzies landed five-star big man Brandon McCoy and the top Junior College player in the nation, Shakur Juiston for his second season. Both would average double-doubles, but McCoy would play just one season bolting for the NBA this summer, he went undrafted.

Even though the Rebels have been recruit highly-touted prospects, the success hasn’t translated on the floor, as only the 2013 team with Bennett made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.