LAS VEGAS — Josh Pastner said earlier this offseason that UNLV had two areas it could still address if the right roster piece became available: shooting and the frontcourt.
The Runnin’ Rebels added to one of those areas Wednesday when Moustapha Loum committed to UNLV, giving Pastner another big body as he continues building his second roster in Las Vegas. Loum, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward from Dakar, Senegal, spent last season at Northwestern State after beginning his college career at Frank Phillips College.
Loum is not coming to UNLV as a high-usage scorer or a portal name built around box-score production. His value is more specific. He gives UNLV size, length and another interior option for a roster that still needed frontcourt depth.
Pastner told The Scarlet Standard earlier this offseason that UNLV would still look at “shooting and/or front court” help if it added another player. He also mentioned shot blocking as one of the areas the staff would consider while finishing the roster.
Loum fits that description. At Northwestern State, he played in 21 games and made four starts, averaging 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 61.8 percent from the field. Northwestern State listed him third on the team in total blocks and blocks per game, and he finished with 14 blocks in 235 minutes.
His best game came against S.U.N.O., when he finished with eight points and 13 rebounds while shooting 3-for-5 from the field. He made his first Division I start against San Francisco on Nov. 18, giving him experience against a higher-level opponent during his lone season with the Demons.
Before Northwestern State, Loum played one season at Frank Phillips College. He appeared in 33 games and made 13 starts, averaging 4.7 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field. He scored 19 points against Murray State and had an 11-rebound game against Panola College.
Those numbers tell the story of the addition. Loum is not being brought in to carry UNLV’s offense. He is a developmental frontcourt piece who has already played junior college basketball and Division I basketball. His offensive production has been limited, but he has finished efficiently around the basket and shown enough activity as a shot blocker to make sense for a team still trying to add size.
UNLV’s frontcourt already has Tyrin Jones as the centerpiece. Pastner has been direct about building around Jones and Isaac Williamson, two returning players who give the Rebels a foundation going into year two. Jones is the player who drives the ceiling of the roster. Loum is more about giving the staff another option behind and around that core.
Every transfer addition is not supposed to be the same. Some are added to score. Some are added to handle the ball. Some are added to shoot. Loum is being added to give UNLV another 6-foot-10 body who can compete in practice, protect the rim, rebound, screen, run the floor and finish plays created by guards.
That is not a small thing for this roster. Pastner has talked throughout the offseason about constructing a team around motor, discipline and drive. He has also talked about needing players who fit within the program’s budget, style and culture. In the current version of college basketball, that is the reality for UNLV. The Rebels are not just collecting names. They are trying to find players who fit specific roles and make the roster more functional.
Loum gives them another frontcourt role, and the path to minutes is straightforward. He has to rebound. He has to defend without fouling. He has to be active around the rim. He has to give UNLV enough physicality inside to hold up in Mountain West games. If he does those things, he can help.
The Rebels are still going to be defined by their best players. Jones’ development, Sebastian Mack’s fit, the guard rotation, the shooting and the overall chemistry of the roster will decide how far this team can go. Loum’s commitment does not change that, but it does address something Pastner already identified.
UNLV needed another frontcourt piece if the right one was there. Loum gives the Rebels one. He brings size, shot-blocking and another interior body for a team trying to become tougher, deeper and better equipped for the Mountain West.
For a program trying to get back to the NCAA tournament, not every roster move has to be loud. Some are about making the team harder to play against.
That is the bet with Loum.
