Look back vs CSU Bakersfield
BENNETT IS BIG TIME - To be brutally honest, through the entire nonconference season I could start every post game story about how well Anthony Bennett played. How disruptive a force he is on the offensive end of the floor. That no player has been able to adequately guard him through the first 15 games.
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It would get so repetitive and, ultimately, really boring.
However, Bennett was too good on Saturday night against CSU Bakersfield that it would be ignorant to ignore.
If you throw out the second half, Bennett put up All-America type numbers, shooting 8-of-10 from the field for 21 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Heck, his first four minutes of action produced more points (11) than all but one player on the Rebel roster scored in the entire game.
That's domination.
The sad thing is that these types of performances are becoming so commonplace that Rebel fans may start taking them for granted soon. You can now safely say that UNLV hasn't had anyone this flat-out superior over the opposition since either J.R. Rider or Larry Johnson were running up and down the Thomas & Mack floor.
That's pretty elite company to be lumped into but, at this point, I think it's safe to say after watching Bennett's consistent play (no games without double-digits). You can pretty much pencil Bennett in for a few highlight reel plays, near 20 points and close to 10 rebounds a game.
Even if head coach Dave Rice asked for the perfect recruit, he wouldn't have been able to find any better than Bennett.
And you want to know what Bennett thinks about the early part of the difficult conference road schedule that UNLV is about to embark on?
When asked he said, "It's just a basketball game. That's the easy part."
Not for opposing coaches it isn't.
BRYCE UNDER CONTROL - There have been some serious flashes of just what sophomore Bryce Dejean-Jones could be capable of this year. There have also been the times where you shake your head and wonder what he could've possibly been thinking.
The Roadrunners got a glimpse of Dejean-Jones at his absolute best on Saturday. And maybe it will be a precursor of what's to come for the Rebels, which would be perfect with conference play starting in less than four days.
A composed and under control Dejean-Jones very few bad decisions during a 12 point, six assist and four rebound effort.
And that wasn't listing the most impressive statistic of the night for Dejean-Jones. No turnovers is what set tonight off from most others.
It wasn't the first time it has happened (he had zero assists in games against Iowa State and Northern Iowa), but it was the first time it occurred when he was in the role of facilitator.
There's no denying that Dejean-Jones has immense talent. He can virtually do everything on the floor - defend, rebound, score, pass, run, etc. There are just sometimes that he goes a bit fast in those areas and it becomes very noticeable.
Games like the one against Bakersfield show what Dejean-Jones has the capability to do.
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