Runnin’ Rebels Squeeze Out 64-58 Win Over Gardner-Webb For Young Kruger’s First Win Wednesday
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
He didn’t arrive on campus via helicopter like his predecessor, T.J. Otzelberger. And he didn’t have the media over for BBQ like Otzelberger’s predecessor, Marvin Menzies.
No, UNLV’s newest basketball coach, 38-year-old Kevin Kruger, joined a crowd of what looked like about 4,000-5,000 or so vaccinated fans in witnessing a less than stellar offensive performance by the Runnin’ Rebels in the first half of the Kruger 2 Era. Kruger is the son of former UNLV hoops coach Lon Kruger, who piled up 161 wins and four NCAA Big Dance tournament appearances.
“I was proud of the guys for fighting and competing,” Kruger said after a 64-58 win.
Indeed, the first half was not exactly a shooting clinic. The Rebs shot 22.6 percent from the field, including a miserable 1-of-17 from three-point land.
Kruger’s first first half as UNLV basketball coach: Rebs 27 Gardner Webb of North Carolina 24.
ADVERTISEMENT: Click on ad for info
ADVERTISEMENT
There were air balls and basketballs clanging the rim on more than 20 three-point shot attempts. The saving grace for UNLV is the team finished the first half by scoring 10 of the game’s last 12 points to take a three-point lead at the half.
Things are very different from the last time UNLV played a basketball game. Otzelberger has moved on to coach Iowa State and the woman who hired him here at Las Vegas has moved on as well. Desiree Reed-Francois is now the athletic director at Missouri.
UNLV is also requiring fans attending Rebs basketball game to show proof of vaccination. It was an easy process. I uploaded my vaccination card and snapped pictures of my Nevada driver’s license and a mug shot of myself. CheckVax sent me confirmation a minute later.
These are rough times for a college basketball program that once won an NCAA national championship and commanded the type of Las Vegas-wide adulation seen the last few years by the NHL Vegas Golden Knights.
Sadly, the UNLV basketball brand has been bruised and battered for several years now as coaches Dave Rice, Menzies, Otzelberger and now Kruger have been part of the coaching carousel at the Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV tries to market its basketball team as an affordable alternative to NFL Raiders and NHL Golden Knights major league games.
The crowd size was likely diminished some by the university’s requirement that fans show proof of vaccination. The Raiders have the same policy and said some season ticket holders did request a refund or rolled over their season ticket deals to 2022.
Even with the vaccination proof requirement, the Raiders were still drawing big crowds in the 60,000 range at Allegiant Stadium, about two miles west of Thomas & Mack Center.
UNLV’s Bryce Hamilton led the Rebs with 22 points, but didn’t shoot particularly well — 8 for 25 on field goals. Royce Hamm, Jr. also led UNLV in rebounds with 17, while chipping in 18 points thanks to 7 of 12 from the field.
UNLV shot only 30 percent from the field (20 of 66) for the 40 minutes, while Gardner-Webb was 38 percent.
“We didn’t play our best game, we found a way to win,” Hamilton said. “We found a way to come back and respond.”
Hamilton rattled home a three-pointer and took the basketball to the rim for five straight points down the stretch en route to the six-point win. UNLV made only eight percent of its three-point goal attempts on 2 of 25.
And they delivered Kruger’s first victory. UNLV returns to action Saturday at 5 PM against Cal.
