Anthony Bennett

[bonesw505]

I guess this is why they play the games.

[Kenny]

They landed him. Congrats Rebels. You all are going to be scary good next year.

[UNLVREBELDOG]

Thanks guys. It's good for us and ultimately good for the Mountain West as a whole.

[rebeldjv]

Bennet #7 overall #1 PF 2012 McD's AA
Birch #9 overall #1 PF 2011 McD's AA
Reinhardt #38 overall #9 SG 2012 USA Today AA & Cali POY
Morant # 144 overall 2012 * Probably red-shirt.
Cook NR in top 150
Bryce Jones #68 overall 2010 & 2010 Cali POY

With Moser coming back for his Jr. year Anthony Marshall a savy Sr. we will have the best team we have had here in the last 20 years. Hawkins,Lopez,Thomas-bench. Birch only played 10 games last year for Pitt but still ended up #2 in total blocks at the end of the season. That is recruiting that would rival any Tark class. We also have Chris Wood #55 2013 already commited.

[blacklab101]

Impressive first post as a guest

[txlobo95]

"on paper" UNLV by far should have the most loaded roster, albiet, that's a lot of newcomers and may not have the best chemistry in year 1.

We'll see how it all plays out.

[rebeldjv]

UNM has maybe the best fans in the MWC. Just so down to earth and level minded. I really enjoy your guy's Lobo Lair. People on Rebel-Net can be really over the top and plain NUTS. I know some UNLV fans can be a bit brash and alot of them still think and live in the 80' & 90's. So thanks for letting a UNLV fan be a small part of you guy's board. By the way I would advise any Lobo fan please don't go to Aztec Mesa. That place is so delusional and just scary. I can't believe there is a fan base that can be so pompous and just flat out ignorant especially since they have been good for 4 years. So thanks.UNLV & UNM needs to be the flagships of the MWC in BB. Football well that's another story.

[Kenny]

Thanks RebelDJV. I still feel UNM and UNLV will eventually lead this conference in football too. Just give it a few years. Welcome to the site too.

[Lobofan77]

Issues with UNLV and SDSU? We won four of six from those team last season...

LOL, I was going to say the same thing.

[Lobofan77]

When you have horses at the quality of these 3 guys--They are all interchangeable at their positions. The big difference with these guys down-low is adding guys like Katin Reinhardt, Cook, and Bryce Jones that can consistently stroke the 3 to go along with our current guys and open-up space downlow for Moser/Birch/Bennett down low.

People forget that Bennett has great range from 3 as well---With his beefy NBA frame, he's going to be a nightmare to guard whereever he is.

Newcomer of the Year: Bryce Jones
Frosh of the Year: Bennett

Ridiculous amounts of talent on next years UNLV squad--Only question is if Rice will be able to "put it all together" and disicipline these kids...No more blown-leads, no more -35-40 3pt attempts. Rice cannot use player's athleticism and out-right talent as a crutch again this year to offset a complete lack of a half-court offense and mental toughness.

You might be right but UNLV wouldn't be the first team to be wrong about how a kid will transition to playing ball at the NCAA level. And I hope they are. Ridiculous amounts of talent based on 2/3 froshes??? Maybe, UK has been pretty good bringing in young talent. But UNLV is no UK and Rice is NO Calipari. Just ask UofA, number of stars is not always indicative of how good a player will be.


Oh and just wanted to add I really believe we end up with a better record than UNLV (again) and probably split the season series.

[BrutusXXX]

Steve Alford and his staff will find a way to once again compete for and probably win the MWC again. The strength of the BB program is Alford and Neal. They seem to be comfortable with the prospect of competing with the players they now have on the roster. Lobos will be a load versus opponents as well. This Lobo BB team is deep and thick in talented guards. The Lobo's junior class, especailly, is now experienced and primed to have a great season. Lobos will be very good and talented.

[rebeldjv]

UK was not UK tell Cal started to get these McD's AA's. UNLV has had some really bad recruiting classes the last 10-15 years. This is just on a whole new level. You want to get these high profile players because it opens the door for others to come. Trust me bringing in 2 McD's AA's is huge for any program especially UNLV.

[Ltlf]

UK was not UK tell Cal started to get these McD's AA's. UNLV has had some really bad recruiting classes the last 10-15 years. This is just on a whole new level. You want to get these high profile players because it opens the door for others to come. Trust me bringing in 2 McD's AA's is huge for any program especially UNLV.

Trust you? I don't even know you.

[ABQJack]

Steve Alford and his staff will find a way to once again compete for and probably win the MWC again. The strength of the BB program is Alford and Neal. They seem to be comfortable with the prospect of competing with the players they now have on the roster. Lobos will be a load versus opponents as well. This Lobo BB team is deep and thick in talented guards. The Lobo's junior class, especailly, is now experienced and primed to have a great season. Lobos will be very good and talented.

I am in complete agreement. Our strength is the accumulation of 5 years of Coach Alford establishing HIS (and, Neal's) rock-solid foundation. A foundation that does not NOW require all these 5-star phenoms that many seem to be so concerned about.

Some have been concerned that we did not get W Shepard. Some that we did not get January. But, it may have been that those players and others simply did not wish to undergo the rigorous athletic AND academic discipline that SA... REQUIRES. They may prefer a place where they can "slip-slide on along" and mainly prepare for their sure-fire selection in the first round of the NBA draft.

Not realizing that a more demanding collegiate experience -- yep, to include improving BB-IQ (... academic studiousness and learning to think "critically" would certainly translate to athletic activity, I am pretty sure) and learning how to play serious, hard-learned, top-flight defense.

There is now a track-record any young man interested in this program can easily examine. Coach Alford clearly improved the all-around game of JR Giddens. Darrington Hobson. Drew Gordon. Not to omit, D Faris and Roman Martinez. Almost all others as well.

I had once mentioned that I believed that "the word" about UNM was beginning to get out. That will ony continue.

And so, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see one or more of next year's recruits (... not ranked as highly as those other recruits that did not choose to come here) -- Banyard, Aget or T Williams, become BETTER BB players in a couple years than SDSU/UNLV's current bally-hoo'd recruits. Perhaps even get drafted higher than them as well.

As mentioned, these recruiting years tend to go in cycles. There are 4 available for next year, assuming we don't lose anyone, and that none of the 2 available spots are filled between now and the start of next semester. Should we have as good a year as I am expecting, then there will be more interest. By those kinds of players, no matter how many *stars* they might "arbitrarily" have, who would be willing to better themselves -- the old-school way, the Knight/Alford way. Hard and dedicated work in those areas that many others do NOT focus on.

I too would like to welcome all those 'Reb fans who enjoy talking MWC basketball. The ones who do not merely come here to brag and proclaim that they now are the 2nd coming of UCLA, circa the Wooden era. I can quite fondly recall those delerious and extremely hard fought games during the Ellenberger/Tarkanian years. Let's hope they continue long into the future.

[rebeldjv]

You have to have the desire to elevate your program to new levels and not be content on being were you are at. That's called complacency. We are going after top-notch recruits and going head to head with the blue bloods & not backing down. We don't want to be were we have been the last 15+ years. UNLV has different expectations than any other program in the MWC. "no offense." We are in the tournament year in year out and even had a Sweet 16 run a few years ago but that's not enough for UNLV. We have Rice & Augmon with some young assistant that are recruiting like the MWC has never seen. We have Stacey Augmon here and that is a huge recruiting tool that nobody else has in the MWC. Oh yeah don't forget the new state of the art Mendenhall center. Strive for greatness and it might happen dont be scared to schedule top 10 teams even if you have to go to their house.

[Ltlf]

You have to have the desire to elevate your program to new levels and not be content on being were you are at. That's called complacency. We are going after top-notch recruits and going head to head with the blue bloods & not backing down. We don't want to be were we have been the last 15+ years. UNLV has different expectations than any other program in the MWC. "no offense." We are in the tournament year in year out and even had a Sweet 16 run a few years ago but that's not enough for UNLV. We have Rice & Augmon with some young assistant that are recruiting like the MWC has never seen. We have Stacey Augmon here and that is a huge recruiting tool that nobody else has in the MWC. Oh yeah don't forget the new state of the art Mendenhall center. Strive for greatness and it might happen dont be scared to schedule top 10 teams even if you have to go to their house.

I find that very offensive.

[rebeldjv]

It all comes down to recruiting and every coach will tell you that. You gotta have the horses.It's everything. Thats why UNLV has been really mediocre lately. We were recruiting 2 star players and once in a while got a 3 star player. Thats why we have only been a 1 and done in the tournament and a Sweet 16 a few years back. That's unaceptable and you should hold your coaches and program to higher standards. So you guys don't want to recruit and maybe land a McD's AA's????? If you guys can get A.Gordon it can change your whole program.

[LoboLuba]

what are you talking about? UK has been bringing in Top 10 recruiting classes for 50 years. What Calipari brought in was great coaching. Something they had been missing the last few years. Not sure the UNLV coach has proven he is a great coach yet

UK was not UK tell Cal started to get these McD's AA's. UNLV has had some really bad recruiting classes the last 10-15 years. This is just on a whole new level. You want to get these high profile players because it opens the door for others to come. Trust me bringing in 2 McD's AA's is huge for any program especially UNLV.

[blacklab101]

I too would like to welcome all those 'Reb fans who enjoy talking MWC basketball. The ones who do not merely come here to brag and proclaim that they now are the 2nd coming of UCLA, circa the Wooden era. I can quite fondly recall those delerious and extremely hard fought games during the Ellenberger/Tarkanian years. Let's hope they continue long into the future.

I agree and it is extremely poor tast imo. There are few places left for sportsfans to discuss without the huge number of trolls ruining every thread, and this place is one of them.

[Ltlf]

It all comes down to recruiting and every coach will tell you that. You gotta have the horses.It's everything. Thats why UNLV has been really mediocre lately. We were recruiting 2 star players and once in a while got a 3 star player. Thats why we have only been a 1 and done in the tournament and a Sweet 16 a few years back. That's unaceptable and you should hold your coaches and program to higher standards. So you guys don't want to recruit and maybe land a McD's AA's????? If you guys can get A.Gordon it can change your whole program.

I'm getting to know you. Wish I hadn't. I enjoy SharkTankd and a couple of other Rebels who post here. You, though, can take your high and mighty attitude away as far as I'm concerned.

[ABQJack]

I agree and it is extremely poor tast imo. There are few places left for sportsfans to discuss without the huge number of trolls ruining every thread, and this place is one of them.

Yes, it is. Mark and Roob and Tybot work their keisters off to insure that it is.

While you are hangin' hereabouts, I'd be interested to hear how you see two things:

1) What you (and, your board's consensus) think about the whole Boise St -- ummm, dithering. Duplicitous, or not. Don't wish to hear about SDSU, as they are gone, out of my mind now and forever (... double-speak Fisher too. REALLY don't get how so many, even here, venerate him. Last straw for me was when he did NOT bench Franklin for deliberately throwing a ball at McDonald's head. Guess he has no Ethical/Moral Code he lives by, well, that's not unusual nowadays)

2) What other teams you'd like to see added should there be an expansion to 12 for the MWC? And, incidentally, would you favor BYU coming back for Olympic sports? Presuming there could be another "special by-law" (... as for Hawaii) that would permit it?

[LynAskin]

I too would like to welcome all those 'Reb fans who enjoy talking MWC basketball. The ones who do not merely come here to brag and proclaim that they now are the 2nd coming of UCLA, circa the Wooden era. I can quite fondly recall those delerious and extremely hard fought games during the Ellenberger/Tarkanian years. Let's hope they continue long into the future.

I'm a rebel fan, and i'm in complete agreement with you. No reason to come on another teams board and tell them how great you are. They will never ever feel the same way you do. It looks braggadocios, and won't make you any friends. I said some of the same things in my post at the top of page 2, but said them in less "absolute" terms. I "think" we're going to be good. I "think" we are recruiting at a new level, but i dont think i stated anything "matter-of-factually", but i also pointed out that we have some faults too, and that we don't play the games on paper.

I love discussing basketball. I hate when other fans of my team come over to a site and basically ruin it for the rest of us who want to talk basketball without all of the "smack talk". I think the UNM fans here are smart enough to tell the difference between a guy who wants to have a reasonable bball discussion, and a guy who doesn't. (see what i did there? it was a compliment to the host team's fans) But if you want to see how a couple of over-zealous fans can get all of us lumped together as a "horrible fan base", just look at the rivals national recruiting board.

[UNM_ALUM]

It all comes down to recruiting and every coach will tell you that. You gotta have the horses.It's everything. Thats why UNLV has been really mediocre lately. We were recruiting 2 star players and once in a while got a 3 star player. Thats why we have only been a 1 and done in the tournament and a Sweet 16 a few years back. That's unaceptable and you should hold your coaches and program to higher standards. So you guys don't want to recruit and maybe land a McD's AA's????? If you guys can get A.Gordon it can change your whole program.

Dude. Take your love affair to weeblenet. Yes, UNLV has an amazing recruiting class, but excuse the skepticism when your coach/team was outplayed and outcoached in EVERY conference road game last year. I don't have the time to research it but I would suspect that not every team with 2 McDs AA on the roster lived up to their potential.

As a Lobo fan, I wish we were pulling in big names with lots of stars next to their name, but ABQ nailed it. It is pretty obvious that Alford is not going to sacrifice his overall plan for these high profiled recruits. I will take a hard working 3 star recruit over any lazy 4-5 star recruit.

Sure it would be great to land AG, but the game changer came when Alford took the job.

[BoRealist]

UNLV clearly has the best group of talent in this 2012 class (freshmen and transfers) that I have ever seen in the Mountain West. To deny what Rice and UNLV has accomplished is to delude yourself. They straight kicked our ass in recruiting for 2012 and that's a fact. I know we want to keep circling the "stars don't mean anything" and "coaching means everything" wagons but let's not jam our heads in the sand and pretend that we'd prefer lower rated recruits to higher rated recruits. Coach Alford and his staff have proven to be (in my opinion) the best X & O coaching staff in the Mountain West and I'm damn happy with that situation. I'm not going to pretend like I'm not jealous of the recruiting success UNLV and even SDSU have had this year, and I'm also not going to pretend like I'm not disappointed in UNM's (on paper) lack of success recruiting following a second great season in 3 years. Alford & Co. have the ability to squeeze diamonds from coal but it would sure help if they didn't have too.

Rice and UNLV have accumulated a wealth of young talent that hasn't been seen in this conference. What's left to determine is whether they're going to be the nonBCS Memphis type team coached by Josh Pastner or will they be the Memphis team coached by John Calipari? Both had talent that was undeniably superior to 95% (guess) of Division 1 but only one coach has proven he can win with it. Will UNLV make a final four run with those horses or will they fizzle out in round one? If it turns out Rice can coach even as well as say Steve Fisher then our lack of recruiting success is going to rear it's ugly head in the future regardless of how well coach Alford and his staff prepare our team. Eventually a flood of superior talent will drown the well coached opposition. That fact sucks but it's real. One sub par recruiting class is not a big deal but it can't become a trend. In fact I don't believe we need to recruit at as high of a level to continue to compete. Lobos need one big recruit each year to avoid getting blown out like 2012 The Lobos will stand tall against the flood in 2013 but the holes in our Mountain West championship levy are leaking and in need of some high level talent in 2013's recruiting to shore up the dam. Top 100 talent is a must have in 2013.

[blacklab101]

ABQJack
We are hearing a good chance BSU returns to the MWC, but just like recruiting it is extremely fluid and can change daily.
On your second question, I wont speak for the board, but would be suprised if the majority wasnt in agreement, although it would be split. I would not be willing to take ANY schools Oly sports if they had football somewhere else. That includes SDSU, BSU, BYU. While it would make a great bb conference, it would kill our chance to build our football program. We dont "need" them to get our bb to where we want it, so why handcuff our football program.

[ABQJack]

UNLV clearly has the best group of talent in this 2012 class (freshmen and transfers) that I have ever seen in the Mountain West. To deny what Rice and UNLV has accomplished is to delude yourself. They straight kicked our ass in recruiting for 2012 and that's a fact. I know we want to keep circling the "stars don't mean anything" and "coaching means everything" wagons but let's not jam our heads in the sand and pretend that we'd prefer lower rated recruits to higher rated recruits. Coach Alford and his staff have proven to be (in my opinion) the best X & O coaching staff in the Mountain West and I'm damn happy with that situation. I'm not going to pretend like I'm not jealous of the recruiting success UNLV and even SDSU have had this year, and I'm also not going to pretend like I'm not disappointed in UNM's (on paper) lack of success recruiting following a second great season in 3 years. Alford & Co. have the ability to squeeze diamonds from coal but it would sure help if they didn't have too.

Rice and UNLV have accumulated a wealth of young talent that hasn't been seen in this conference. What's left to determine is whether they're going to be the nonBCS Memphis type team coached by Josh Pastner or will they be the Memphis team coached by John Calipari? Both had talent that was undeniably superior to 95% (guess) of Division 1 but only one coach has proven he can win with it. Will UNLV make a final four run with those horses or will they fizzle out in round one? If it turns out Rice can coach even as well as say Steve Fisher then our lack of recruiting success is going to rear it's ugly head in the future regardless of how well coach Alford and his staff prepare our team. Eventually a flood of superior talent will drown the well coached opposition. That fact sucks but it's real. One sub par recruiting class is not a big deal but it can't become a trend. In fact I don't believe we need to recruit at as high of a level to continue to compete. Lobos need one big recruit each year to avoid getting blown out like 2012 The Lobos will stand tall against the flood in 2013 but the holes in our Mountain West championship levy are leaking and in need of some high level talent in 2013's recruiting to shore up the dam. Top 100 talent is a must have in 2013.

Superior points all around 'Bo

Especially the one about -- pretty much needing that one NBA-player-in-the-making. That's how Butler U did it anyway. VCU or George Mason? Notso much. Well, DG proved last year that the ONE well-coached stud can in fact be a difference. Key factor being -- well-coached. Sure, without him VS Louisville and we lose by 20++

OTOH, I guess I look at "success" a bit differently. I personally am not a bit concerned or disatisfied that we haven't reached... the last-16-standing, at least, we haven't since the NCAA Tournament expanded.

No, not in the least discouraged. I played competitively and surely enjoyed victories. And, yep, it would be grand if we did reach some higher goals.

But, I'd MUCH rather have the kind of program that SA has established. Where young men graduate from college, and have learned what hard work can do. For themselves, and anyone else they EVER come in contact with in future.

Just now I am confident that athletic success will -- quite naturally and fluidly, follow rigorous athletic training and academic application. It's only a matter of time. That will be VERY cool to see. Meantime, I am not worrying or losing sleep over...

1) Whether A Gordon comes here or not.

2) What Boise St decides to do.

3) When the FB stadium's north-end finally gets renovated.

4) What's for lunch.

Well, got my ticket for the ABQ->LA milk-train leaving today ~5 pm. Can't fly O no way, man, because I just won't abide someone foolin' 'round with my attitude or my junk, not to mention them -- gotten lax maintenance standards (gutted safeguards & regulations all over the place these days!) of the Airlines, in the general instance. So, see you and all the rest of the great and Lobo savvy TLL'ers... later, alligator!

[Ltlf]

Let's just say for the heck of it that dvj is right. UNLV runs through the league like a sharp knive through melted butter in 2012-2013. Just say.

If all these great recruits are that good, they're going to be one and dooners. Unless they are like Kentucky and can recruit like that year after year, and they aren't, they won't have anything left later. I'd much rather be very good and very consistent with a group of guys that I can watch enter the program and progress athletically and scholastically.

Just sayin'.

I'm hoping the same thing can begin to happen in football. I'd give a lot to beat the tar out of BSU and SDSU in football 4 years from now. I'm patient until then.

[LoboLuba]

amen 4 years is better than 1 year everytime.

[LoboLuba]

one other thing. What coaches can't measure is heart and work attitude. I will take a slightly less talented player who has a bigger heart, has a little chip on the shoulder and is willing to work to maximize his talent every single time.

[BoRealist]

one other thing. What coaches can't measure is heart and work attitude. I will take a slightly less talented player who has a bigger heart, has a little chip on the shoulder and is willing to work to maximize his talent every single time.

Sure, but you have no idea either and assuming that a 5 star player doesn't have the heart that an under recruited 2 star has is simply foolish. Are you trying to tell me that more talented players have less heart than less talented players, that they're less willing to work as well? Disagree completely, it's based on the individual not how talented they are.

I'll take a 5 star player who has heart and who is willing to work hard to maximize his talent level. Exactly what would happen if Alford landed a 5 star talent .. they'd work their ass off just like the 2 stars.