Rebel's career not yet in flight - Sports

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Jun. 23, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rebel's career not yet in flight

Sophomore Wallace seeking improvement on trip to Australia

By MATT YOUMANS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

UNLV Basketball - Men

WALLACE WILL WRITE HOME FROM AUSTRALIA
During UNLV's two-week basketball tour of Australia, sophomore guard Kendall Wallace will write occasional postcards about the experience for the Review-Journal.

Reports on the Rebels' six exhibition games will be posted at reviewjournal.com.

Also, UNLV director of media relations Andy Grossman is doing a "Blog from Down Under" at unlvrebels.cstv.com.

REVIEW-JOURNAL

UNLV sophomore guard Kendall Wallace, left, defends former Rebel Kevin Kruger during practice in preparation for the team's trip to Australia.
Photo by John Locher.

Not yet a world traveler, Kendall Wallace is anxious to get to Australia with the UNLV basketball team.

Wallace has crossed the U.S. border just once to hit the beach on a spring break trip to Rocky Point, Mexico. His next foreign experience might be more memorable, though he's not looking forward to one part of it.

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"The plane trip is going to be brutal," Wallace said of the flight from Las Vegas to Sydney, Australia. "I've heard (the trip is) from 14 to 18 hours."

The Rebels practice at 10 a.m. today before departing at 6 p.m. for Australia, where they will play six exhibition games over two weeks.

Wallace, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Mesa, Ariz., plans to use the trip as a springboard for his sophomore season. After nine days of practice, his progress report is full of high marks.

"Kendall has been shooting really well during these two weeks," coach Lon Kruger said. "He just continues to work. He's a basketball junkie and he loves being in the gym.

"He'll run some point and he'll play some off (guard) for us. He's a combo guard who needs to make shots regardless of where he's playing."

Wallace lost his touch during his freshman season. He shot 29.3 percent from the field, including 10-for-48 from 3-point range, and averaged 2.4 points. He said he lost confidence.

"Kendall is a guy who's shot the ball well all his life, so when he goes through a stretch where all of a sudden he's not shooting well, it's going to affect him," Kruger said.

After suffering a stress fracture to his right fibula in October, Wallace missed the first month of the season. He debuted Dec. 5 and scored nine points in a win at Northern Arizona. But that probably was his best performance.

"For the most part, freshmen come in and they have that adjustment period," Wallace said. "I was slowed down by the injury, and I went into a slump in the middle of the year. I couldn't really get it going."

Wallace figures to see time behind sophomore point guard Tre'Von Willis and senior shooting guard Wink Adams.

The player Wallace most often is compared to is Kevin Kruger, the son of the coach. Kevin Kruger ran the point as a senior in 2006-07, but he already was polished when he transferred to UNLV.

"Keep in mind, you guys only saw me when I was a senior," said Kevin Kruger, who has been practicing with the Rebels and is reporting to NBA camp today with the Orlando Magic. "Playing point guard as a freshman and sophomore is tough, and especially with as many seniors as they've got, it can be demanding.

"I think Kendall can be a great asset. He opens the floor up. He can play shooting guard -- he shoots it really well -- and I don't think there's any doubt he can fill that position. But he also can play the point."

Wallace, who averaged 11.7 minutes in 28 games last season, is hoping his improved play the past two weeks carries over to Australia.

"I'm playing confident, and I just want to show what I can do over there," he said.

• NOTES -- Lon Kruger said senior forward Rene Rougeau probably will get the last available scholarship for 2008-09. Connecticut transfer Curtis Kelly, who was considering UNLV and Kansas State, is out of the picture. ... Former Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian was courtside Saturday as about 700 fans watched the Rebels' public send-off practice at the Thomas & Mack Center.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. virgil's wife wrote on June 23, 2008 07:56 PM: my p.i.m.p. pays for the trip from the money i give him. MB wrote on June 23, 2008 07:03 PM: one more point Virgil. If it wasn’t for Basketball UNLV wouldn’t even be on the map unfortunately! We would very well be tumbleweed or desert tech! UNLV NEEDS BASKETBALL!! As do many other universities in this country with top athletic programs. It’s not just UNLV. Just like someone posted below... (A quality basketball or football program) + (insert your favorite university here) = High student enrollment, greater recognition to the school and more MONEY to fund academics research and much more!!!! Another Big Year Is Here wrote on June 23, 2008 03:16 PM: Correction, Stanford. But you get my point. Another Big Year Is Here wrote on June 23, 2008 03:13 PM: Go Squirrel (a.k.a Kendall Wallace)!! He's a good kid and will always compete hard for us. His father Riley was sitting next to Tark at the Saturday scrimmage. What's with this Virgil character? Sounds like Bob Maxson reincarnated. Funny how he mentioned Harvard, Maxson used to refer to UNLV as the "Harvard of the west." Maxson destroyed our program and was responsible for the school's 16 years of basketball purgatory (less '98 and '00). Virge, you want Runnin' Rebel hoops to succeed - it's the only way you will ever hope to gain the academic notoriety you crave - period. MB wrote on June 23, 2008 01:36 PM: What a dummy Virgil!!! Wow I cant believe that idiot posted that nonsensical, factLESS, rant about something he clearly knows nothing about. Oh yeah and way to somehow find a way to interject gaming and casino corporations into this…??? WTF!!! Anyone smart person in this town knows that UNLV Basketball is revenue generating, actually one of the only revenue generating sports. Meaning the program makes money and that money goes into the pocket of the basketball program, the other athletic programs and EVEN the rest of the university. Oh yeah more than 70% of this Austrailia trip was funded by a charity golf event hosted by Lon Kruger. It was open to anyone who wished to give to the program.!! rebel22 wrote on June 23, 2008 09:44 AM: Wallace is probably the worst player on the team. I don't even know why Kruger plays him to be honest. He always seems clumsy out there. I was very surprised to find out that he did well in high school basketball in Arizona. I'm hoping he never starts. Virgils a bonehead wrote on June 23, 2008 09:27 AM: my name, nuf said..... go rebels, what up wink?! another sweet 16 anyone?! Jerry Wayne wrote on June 23, 2008 08:26 AM: Virgil, here's a very simple math equation for you. "insert school name" + quality athletic programs = higher enrollment. Wink Adams wrote on June 23, 2008 08:24 AM: The trip is financed completely by private donors. Even though Hamrick hasnt completely figured it out, there are some big numbers out there just waiting to be handed over to the program. Also, basketball is the only sport that will make a profit this year, helping the rest of the athletic programs and the university. Even if the school was funding, it would be a sound investment for them. 700 people at practice? Just think how that will translate into season ticket and sales of shirts, jerseys etc. Monster Jam wrote on June 23, 2008 08:06 AM: Any chance we land kevin as an assistant couch down the road? :) Read All Comments