UNLV Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Runnin’ Rebels

In coach Marvin Menzies’ second year, UNLV Basketball looks to make the climb back to relevancy in the Mountain West Conference.

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels may have finally found their long-term solution at the head coaching position in Marvin Menzies, now the goal is to become the power it once was in the Mountain West Conference. It has been 27 years since the Rebels took home the school’s lone national championship and they have only been to the NCAA Tournament eight times since, and have failed to win a game in six of those eight appearances.

In Menzies’ first year at the helm the Rebels went 20-13 but after beginning the year 11-2, they went 9-11 the rest of the way, finishing just 8-10 in the Mountain West.

The Rebels played just an eight-man rotation in their quarterfinal in the Mountain West tournament to Nevada, and five of those eight players return. In fact, of the nine players to see action in at least 25 games, six return. That’s the good news, the bad news for Menzies is the three players that need replacing are three starters, leading scorer and rebounder Brandon McCoy who took his 16.9 points and 10.3 rebounds to the NBA after just one season, and Jovan Mooring and Jordan Johnson whose graduation leaves a void of 27.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 9.3 assists.

The two returning starters for the Rebels are senior forward Shakur Juiston, who averaged a double-double with 14.6 points and 10 rebounds and junior forward Tervell Beck who netted seven points per game last season.

So, who fills out the starting line up and what will the depth look like for UNLV in 2018-19? Here’s a peek at the Runnin’ Rebels.