Uncharted territory

The UNLV Runnin' Rebel basketball program is heading toward uncharted territory as the 2016-17 season winds down.

Mired in last place, a half game worse than Air Force, UNLV is currently on a six-game losing streak and struggling mightily with five games remaining to try and right the ship before hosting the Mountain West Tournament the second week of March.

With a 10-16 record, UNLV is on pace to finish with the most losses it has had in a single season in program history. And the Rebels are equal opportunists when it comes to losing. They have failed to convert in the close ones, while also suffering a number of blowout defeats.

The question right now is, can the Rebels gain any sense of momentum before the season finale on March 4th at Fresno State?

Three road games remain coupled with a pair of home clashes, one of which is against UNR, which blew out the Rebels recently.

At some point, you'd think that head coach Marvin Menzies and his crew would catch a break. Their close loss fortunes are bound to turn. During the current losing streak, four of those games have been decided by four points or less.

That's the glass is half full side of things.

The glass is half empty focuses on the fact that the Rebels are in the cellar of the worst MWC we've ever witnessed. The fact that Colorado State sits in first place, despite only having seven scholarship players, tells you all you need to know about the health of this conference.

There is no doubt that if the Rebels were able to get hot heading into the league tournament that they could, at least, throw a scare into a team or two. There are pieces that should continue to improve heading into an extremely important off-season. One in which UNLV needs to make a complete transformation.

Saturday's contest at San Diego State, one that used to mean so much, could have a much greater impact on the Rebels than the home Aztecs, who are also not close to living up to expectations.

A week off to prepare couldn't have come at a better time. What the Rebels do with their full week of practice is something to keep a very close eye on.