Diamond Head Classic: #20 UNLV (11-1) vs. Southern California (7-4)

by David Fucillo on Dec 25, 2009 3:00 PM PST in Basketball

Next Game

Friday, Dec 25, 2009, 6:50 PM PST
TV: ESPN2
Diamond Head Classic - Stan Sheriff Center

UNLV looks to close out the inaugural Diamond Head Classic with a championship trophy against the USC Trojans. UNLV was one of the favorites heading into this tournament, while USC knocked off the other favorite, St. Mary's, in the semifinals. The Rebels close out their non-conference, and 2009, schedule before opening conference play on January 6. The Rebels are currently a 3-point favorite over USC.

UNLV has used pesky, tough defense to neutralize SMU and Hawaii in the first two rounds of the tournament. They'll need a strong defensive effort against a USC team that finally has their best players in uniform. USC was without senior guard Mike Gerrity (transfer sitting out) and sophomore forward Leonard Washington (academically ineligible) prior to last week. Gerrity has three games under his belt, most notably the upset of Tennessee last week. Gerrity has been the Trojans' leading scorer since returning and will certainly be a player to watch tonight.

Forward Leonard Washington put up 10 points and 6 rebounds in his first game back, and at 6'7 230 lbs, he brings a whole lot of size down low. UNLV had no trouble on the glass against Hawaii, but might have some problems against a big USC team (two guards 6'5+ getting big minutes). UNLV can win without controlling the rebound battle, but if they do get out-rebounded, expect a much closer game than the last two.

UNLV Rebels

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Tre`Von Willis	12	24.6	5.3	10.3	50.8	1.1	3.8	28.3	3.8	4.2	92.0	1.1	2.8	3.9	3.1	2.3	1.2	0.2	2.8	15.4
Oscar Bellfield	13	26.1	3.8	8.7	44.2	1.4	3.6	38.3	1.6	2.3	70.0	0.8	2.1	2.8	3.9	2.1	1.1	0.2	2.8	10.7
Chace Stanback	13	23.5	3.3	8.0	41.3	0.8	2.6	29.4	1.5	1.9	76.0	1.7	3.6	5.3	1.5	1.4	1.8	0.9	2.5	8.8
Derrick Jasper	13	25.3	3.2	6.3	50.0	0.6	2.0	30.8	1.2	2.6	47.1	0.7	4.0	4.7	3.2	1.3	1.6	0.3	1.8	8.2
Matt Shaw	13	15.7	2.3	5.1	45.5	0.7	1.7	40.9	1.5	2.0	76.9	1.1	1.5	2.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.7	2.3	6.8
Kendall Wallace	13	17.2	2.1	5.2	40.3	1.5	3.9	37.3	0.8	1.0	76.9	0.5	1.6	2.2	0.9	0.3	0.5	0.0	1.9	6.4
Darris Santee	13	13.8	2.2	3.7	60.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.5	2.5	60.6	1.4	3.1	4.5	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.5	1.9	6.0
Anthony Marshall	13	18.1	2.3	6.4	36.1	0.1	1.4	5.6	1.1	1.8	60.9	0.8	1.0	1.8	1.6	1.5	1.5	0.3	1.6	5.8
Justin Hawkins	13	15.1	1.5	3.8	38.0	0.5	1.5	31.6	1.3	2.0	65.4	0.8	0.7	1.5	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.3	1.2	4.7
Brice Massamba	13	10.9	1.5	2.2	69.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	2.1	63.0	1.4	0.8	2.2	0.3	0.5	0.1	0.3	2.5	4.4
Steve Jones	13	13.1	0.6	1.9	32.0	0.1	0.8	10.0	0.7	0.8	81.8	0.7	0.6	1.3	0.7	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.0
Todd Hanni	4	3.5	0.0	1.3	0.0	0.0	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.3	0.8	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0
Tyler Norman	5	2.6	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.0	0.2	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mychal Martinez	4	1.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0

USC Trojans

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Michael Gerrity	3	37.0	5.0	9.3	53.6	0.7	1.7	40.0	4.7	5.7	82.4	0.0	4.0	4.0	4.7	3.3	1.0	0.0	2.7	15.3
Nikola Vucevic	11	36.2	5.3	9.5	55.8	0.2	0.5	40.0	2.8	4.0	70.5	3.0	7.1	10.1	1.5	2.5	1.1	1.2	2.5	13.5
Dwight Lewis	11	33.7	3.9	10.9	35.8	1.0	3.7	26.8	3.5	4.6	74.5	0.3	2.3	2.5	1.7	2.6	0.6	0.1	1.5	12.3
Alex Stepheson	9	30.9	4.2	8.7	48.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.7	5.0	53.3	3.8	5.4	9.2	0.4	2.3	0.1	2.0	2.4	11.1
Leonard Washington	1	21.0	4.0	8.0	50.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	2.0	2.0	100.0	1.0	5.0	6.0	2.0	3.0	1.0	2.0	4.0	10.0
Marcus Johnson	9	30.3	3.3	8.7	38.5	0.2	1.0	22.2	1.9	3.8	50.0	1.0	4.7	5.7	1.8	2.4	1.9	0.9	3.0	8.8
Donte Smith	11	26.1	2.1	5.1	41.1	1.1	3.2	34.3	0.8	1.2	69.2	0.1	2.0	2.1	1.5	2.1	0.5	0.0	2.2	6.1
Kasey Cunningham	2	21.5	2.0	5.0	40.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	100.0	1.5	2.5	4.0	0.5	2.0	1.5	0.5	3.5	5.0
Marcus Simmons	11	23.2	1.6	3.4	48.6	0.2	0.5	40.0	1.1	1.3	85.7	0.9	1.6	2.5	1.3	1.8	0.3	0.5	3.3	4.5
Evan Smith	7	17.1	0.7	2.3	31.3	0.4	1.6	27.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.9	1.1	0.6	1.6	0.1	0.0	1.0	1.9
Percy Miller	3	2.3	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.7	0.0	0.3	0.7
Davis Rozitis	8	3.5	0.1	0.3	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.9	0.9	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.3	0.9	0.3
Ryan Wetherell	3	2.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.7	0.7	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0
James Dunleavy	1	2.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0