2000-01 record: 16-13; 7-7 in MWC (4th) Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: D. Johnson 12.3 ppg | Rebounds: D. Johnson 7.6 rpg | Assists: Booker 2.3 apg | FG %: Richardson 53.6% | 3pt %: L. Johnson 36.1% | FT %: D. Johnson 75.0% 00-01 Stats: UNLV | MWC

		Sunday, Nov. 4 One glaring problem for the Rebels is who's going to rebound the basketball and replace the nine boards per game that Kaspers Kambala got for them last year. That was a team that got out-rebounded overall anyway. Now the Rebels are going to have to replace their best rebounder.

Outlook
Charlie Spoonhour came out of retirement in March to help make the Rebels a contender again, but there are more questions than answers in Sin City.

The Rebels will play hard under Spoonhour. This is certain. Also, one of the league's best players in junior Dalron Johnson will move from power forward to wing and likely be afforded several more touches.

"There is a chance to be successful here," says Spoonhour. "All you have to look at is what the program has done in the past. It won a national championship. We'll start from the beginning and we'll start on defense. And our players will know that if they want to be on the court, they will have to defend."

Expect the Rebels to score at a brisk pace some nights. Everything will be run through Johnson, who should improve his numbers (12.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg) from last season. Also, one of the league's more exciting players should be junior college transfer Marcus Banks, a 6-1 guard who a few MWC coaches have called the fastest player with the ball they have seen. Ever.

The middle is no longer owned by Kaspars Kambala, which means new starting center Jamal Holden (6-9, 220) needs to play tougher than his frame suggests. Chris Richardson (6-6, 185) is a senior forward with ability, but his is a career dotted with inconsistency.

"I think (former coach) Bill Bayno and his staff did a great job of bringing in quality players," says Spoonhour. "So far, the kids have been great about doing things in the correct manner. We have a chance to be very exciting."

What We Like: Dalron Johnson. Someone please check the pulses of several media members who cover this conference. Johnson's omission from the preseason all-league team is, well, ridiculous. Then we are told that he wasn't even in the top six of vote-getters. Amazing. "That doesn't make any sense," said San Diego State coach Steve Fisher. "Dalron Johnson is arguably the best player in this league. There is no one better."

What We Don't Like: The backcourt. Yes, Banks has a chance to be very special, but about those questions: Ernest Turner averaged 28 points as an all-state pick out of New Jersey, but he is a freshman; Jermaine Lewis, who averaged 9.3 points last season, is coming off major knee surgery; Lou Kelly is a senior shooting guard who shot 38 percent; Lafonte Johnson showed ability in spurts as a freshman point, but he is a backup at best; Jevon Banks (no relation to Marcus) played in only 13 games as a junior point.

The Bottom Line: A complete and utter mystery. UNLV is again athletic and any Spoonhour-coached team will be prepared. A few players beside Johnson and Banks have produce, and yet the conference tournament is again on the Rebels' home court. An NCAA Tournament bid isn't out of the question if everything falls right, but an NIT invitation is more likely at this point. Again, too many questions and not enough answers.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Dalron Johnson	Jr.	F	6-9/205	PTS: 12.3 | REB: 7.6 | AST: 2.0
Vince Booker	Sr.	G	6-1/175	PTS: 3.8 | REB: 1.6 | AST: 2.3
Jermaine Lewis	Sr.	G	6-4/190	PTS: 9.3 | REB: 3.2 | AST: 1.4

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Kaspars Kambala	C	6-9/250	PTS: 16.9 | REB: 9.1 | AST: 1.0
Trevor Diggs	G	6-3/185	PTS: 14.1 | REB: 1.8 | AST: 3.2
Danny Brotherson	G	6-4/200	PTS: 5.2 | REB: 3.2 | AST: 2.0

UNLV Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Louis Amundson	F	6-7	Louisville, Colo./Monarch H.S.
Marcus Banks	G	6-1	Las Vegas/Dixie JC
Earnest Turner	G	6-2	Somerdale, N.J./Sterling H.S.
Jamal Holden	F/C	6-9	Tulsa, Okla./Westark JC (Ark.)
Lamar Bigby	G	6-4	Schoolcraft College