UNLV Basketball: Keys to Runnin' Rebels 2012 NCAA Tournament Run

They're not quite the Runnin' Rebels that were blowing teams out of the building in the early-90s, but this year's UNLV team put together a terrific season in the Mountain West. They finished the regular season 25-7 and earned the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. 

The Runnin' Rebels are poised to make noise in the NCAA tournament. They were given a No. 6 seed in the Big Dance. This program has not won a tournament game since 2008, losing in the first round each of the last two years.

Offense has been the hallmark of this program since those Final Four teams over 20 years ago, and that has proven to be the case again this year. The Runnin' Rebels want to spread the court and outscore their opponents. 

We are going to break down all the things that UNLV must do to have a successful run in the NCAA tournament. 

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Superstars Must Shine

The one thing that this Runnin' Rebels team can do is shoot the ball. They play exciting games, and feature a number of players capable of finding the bottom of the net. 

Mike Moser

Moser not only led the Runnin' Rebels in scoring this season (14.0 points per game), but his shot vastly from his freshman season at UCLA in 2009-10. (He had to redshirt last season due to the transfer.)

At 6'8", Moser gives the Rebels a presence inside that they need to keep teams from guarding the perimeter. But he has the ability to shoot the ball from the outside, if need be. 

His rebounding is outstanding, as he led the team 10.7 rebounds per game. No one else was within five of that total, so banging on the glass basically falls on his shoulders. Fortunately, he has proven quite adept at the challenge. 

Moser is the engine that makes the UNLV machine go. He must have a good tournament in order for the team to win at least one game. 

Chace Stanbeck

Another big man for the Runnin' Rebels, Stanbeck is a guard with a forward's size. He stands at 6'8", 215 pounds, which allows him to tower over smaller guards and stand with other forwards when teams try to switch up on him. 

Stanbeck is the sharpshooter that teams have to get a body on. He can score up close or from three-point range. He and Moser have combined to average 27 points per game, which is more than 35 percent of their offensive output. 

When Stanbeck is on, it is hard for anyone to compete with the Runnin' Rebels. He can easily make himself into a star with a deep run in this tournament, he's that good. 

Role Players Must Emerge

While Moser and Stanbeck are going to be the focal point of every team's defensive game plan, Justin Hawkins is the X-factor that the Runnin' Rebels have to get going to make life easier on their top two scorers. 

Guard play is critical to success in the NCAA tournament, and the Runnin' Rebels have been searching for consistency from the position practically all season long. Stanbeck's versatility has made it easier for them, but they need to find another true guard that can help run the offense. 

Hawkins continues to make great strides as a player. Three years ago, he shot just 39 percent from the field and played just 12 minutes per game. His playing time increased last season to nearly 19 minutes, and he shot 42 percent from the field. Then he set career-highs in minutes (24.9) and points (8.2) this year. 

The Runnin' Rebels will need Hawkins to take on an increased load in the NCAA tournament, as a way to keep opposing teams from ganging up on their top two players. 

Offensive Strategy to Watch

At the risk of throwing out a corny line that will get me alienated from UNLV, the Rebels have to start Runnin' and Gunnin' to win in the NCAA tournament. 

The greatest success that this team has had this year came when they were moving the ball up and down the court whenever they wanted to. That is how they took down North Carolina back in November. 

Unfortunately, with most teams that rely solely on offense, the Runnin' Rebels have had problems with teams who control the tempo of the game. They have to set the tone after the tip-off in order to make a deep run. 

Once the game is slowed down, they lose their way. Everything becomes a challenge, and they have no idea what to do with the ball. As long as they are creating open shots early, and getting the ball up the court in a hurry after rebounds, the Runnin' Rebels should have no problem advancing beyond the first round. 

Defensive Strategy to Watch

When UNLV gets on the court, more often than not you are going to see an offensive shootout. That makes for an exciting contest, but does not bode well for the Runnin' Rebels' long-term prognosis. 

The biggest problem they have had on the defensive side of the ball is in transition. Teams have been able to get up and down the court in a hurry because they don't get back after missing shots. It will be apparent early in a game how successful the team is going to be on defense based on how quickly they set their defense. 

Putting bodies on shooters is of the utmost importance. The Runnin' Rebels try to play finesse on defense, which allows them to pad their rebounding stats, but doesn't do a lot for their efficiency rating. They have to make sure there is always someone in the face of the player with the ball. 

Their ability to get back after missing shots is going to determine how far they go in the NCAA tournament. 

Biggest NCAA Tournament Hurdle

You know exactly what you are getting when UNLV steps on the court: A lot of running and offensive fireworks that captivate the fans in attendance. As long as they are scoring, they are going to win.

Where the Runnin' Rebels have gotten in trouble this season is when they have to play defense and are forced into a low-scoring situation. That hasn't happened often, but in a six-game stretch you aren't going to be able to outscore everyone. 

A potential third-round game against Baylor could have the highest combined point total in the NCAA tournament, because those teams run up and down the court as well as anyone in the country. 

If those two meet, that will be the game that goes a long way towards determining if the Runnin' Rebels make a run to the Elite 8 or Final Four. 

Last-Second NCAA Tournament Prediction

UNLV could emerge as a fan favorite in this NCAA tournament because of it's high-octane style of play. Sadly, that won't lead to a long run. At some point you have to stop someone from scoring.

They are just 10-7 in games in which they failed to score 75 or more points.

The Runnin' Rebels will get their first victory in the tournament since 2008, but that will be the end of their run. 

Baylor is a matchup nightmare for this team in the second round. The Bears have the scorers to keep up with the Runnin' Rebels and their size will give them more problems than they can overcome.