UNLV's fourth season under coach Dave Rice will be a fresh start of sorts, with no returning starters and a roster full of new players.
Given the way last season went, not to mention the tumultuous offseason, the Runnin' Rebels are looking forward to a clean slate.
Headed by one of the nation's top recruiting classes, talented-but-young UNLV is hoping to put last season's disappointments behind and get back to the NCAA tournament.
"We like this group a lot," Rice said. "It's a group that doesn't have a whole of experience, but it's a group that's hungry, that's energetic, extremely coachable. It may take a little time for us to find our way, but I've said to our guys that we're never going to make that an excuse."
Last season was a difficult one for Rice and the Rebels, filled with benchings, suspensions, dissention and no postseason for the first time since 2009.
The regular starters from that team are all gone, one to graduation, two to transfers, with Khem Birch and Roscoe Smith each bypassing their senior seasons for a shot at the NBA.
In their place are seven returning players who will have to play much bigger roles and eight new players.
Senior Jelan Kendrick, who started eight games, is the leading returning scorer after averaging 6.3 points per game last season. Christian Wood, a 6-foot-11 sophomore, should put up bigger numbers with more playing time. Guard Kendall Smith started 13 games as a freshman, but junior guard Daquan Cook is out for the season after tearing his right ACL.
Joining them is a recruiting class rated top 10 nationally by most services.
Shooting guard Rashad Vaughn has the skills and work ethic to be one of the nation's best freshmen, while forwards Dwayne Morgan and Goodluck Okonoboh are expected to have an immediate impact. Cody Doolin, a transfer from San Francisco, also should give UNLV stability at point guard.
Of course, with this many new players and so many underclassmen in big roles, it could take a little while for the Rebels to mesh, which doesn't figure to be easy with a non-conference schedule that's among the nation's toughest.
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