LAS VEGAS — Four days ago, Jackson Kiss scored one point in his college basketball debut. On Saturday, with Samford threatening to steal a game at the Thomas & Mack Center, the freshman was the one helping UNLV keep it from happening. Cooper Noard had just hit consecutive three-pointers to erase a six-point lead, tying the game at 72 with 7:45 remaining. The Rebels needed somebody to get them going again, and this time it wasn’t Sebastian Mack or Cam Miles.
After Tyrin Jones missed near the basket, UNLV kept the possession alive and Kiss finished with a layup. On Samford’s next trip, Kiss stole the ball from Noard, leading to a Dontrez Williams dunk. Mack followed with a layup, and suddenly the Rebels were ahead by six again. UNLV hadn’t needed three difficult shots to get there. It needed a freshman who knew where to be, a defensive stop and two teammates willing to take advantage of the opportunity.
The Rebels went on to win 88-79, improving to 2-0 for the first time since the 2022-23 season. Miles led UNLV with 20 points, Jones finished with 17 and six blocks, and Mack added 17 after spending much of the first half in foul trouble. All three played important roles in the victory, but Kiss was the player who left me wanting to see more. His performance offered an encouraging answer to a question I’ve had about this team since the season began.
What happens when Mack isn’t scoring 31 points and Miles can’t create everything himself?
Kiss finished with 10 points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting, six rebounds, two steals and a block in 26 minutes. Those numbers are encouraging for a freshman who barely scored against Northern Arizona, but what impressed me was how comfortable he looked making decisions. He wasn’t trying to force his way into the offense or waiting for somebody else to get him involved. He recognized his opportunities and took advantage of them.
Earlier in the second half, Kiss caught the ball with the shot clock nearly expired, got his defender into the air with a fake and finished through contact. He missed the ensuing free throw, but the possession showed the patience that had been missing from several of UNLV’s other trips. With almost no time remaining, Kiss still managed to create a good shot rather than rushing into a contested attempt.
There had been signs of that ability against Northern Arizona. Kiss caught the ball in the middle of the Lumberjacks’ zone and found Kota Suttle Jr. for the go-ahead three. Later, he grabbed an offensive rebound that led to another three from Miles. Those were important contributions even though Kiss finished with only one point. Against Samford, he showed he could finish some of those possessions himself while continuing to make plays defensively.
The steal from Noard was particularly impressive considering the circumstances. The Samford guard had just made consecutive threes and was threatening to take over the final minutes. Kiss didn’t allow him another opportunity on that possession, and the Rebels converted the turnover into a dunk. That’s the kind of contribution that makes it difficult for a coach to take a freshman off the floor, especially when he’s also providing offense.
Pastner has spent months explaining why he recruited so many guards, why he values speed and length, and why he’s determined to play full-court pressure for 40 minutes. There was a plan behind the roster construction, even if plenty of people questioned it during the offseason. I’ve understood what Pastner was trying to build since the summer, and I like the intensity he’s bringing to a program that could use a recognizable identity again. I’m just not convinced by everything that happens once the Rebels are forced to play in the half court.
Saturday offered another example of why. UNLV made 29 field goals and assisted on only six of them. Six assists in 40 minutes is a difficult number to accept from a team with this much athleticism and several players capable of getting into the paint. There were far too many possessions when someone dribbled into traffic while the other four players stood around waiting to see whether he could make something happen.
Mack can create his own shot, and his 31-point performance against Northern Arizona showed how dangerous he can be. But scoring 31 doesn’t mean every possession should end with him trying to beat somebody off the dribble. The same goes for Miles. Sometimes the defense has taken away the first option, and the best decision is to get the ball to a teammate and make the opponent defend another action. Pastner warned before the game that Samford would shrink the floor and force UNLV to move the basketball. Too often, the Rebels made that defense’s job easier.
That’s what made Kiss’ performance so interesting. He didn’t suddenly turn UNLV into a great passing team, but he showed how a cut, an offensive rebound or a patient move around the basket could produce a good shot without requiring one player to beat multiple defenders. The Rebels have enough individual talent to create difficult baskets. They need to do a better job making the game easier for one another, and Kiss showed he can contribute to that.
It also helped that UNLV had other players available when the afternoon became a battle with foul trouble. Mack had six points at halftime after picking up three fouls, including two offensive calls. Williams collected his fourth less than a minute into the second half, while Jeremy Foumena, coming off a 13-point, 11-rebound performance against Northern Arizona, played only eight minutes. Jones also gave everyone a scare when he fell hard near the basket and eventually went toward the locker room before returning.
Issac Williamson provided another encouraging development in his first game back from injury. He scored five points, all at the free-throw line, but his best play came when two UNLV players were down at the opposite end of the floor and Samford had numbers in transition. Williamson got back, established position and drew an offensive foul on Cade Norris. That’s exactly the kind of effort Pastner has been asking for, and it prevented what could have been an easy basket.
MJ Thomas contributed three offensive rebounds in 11 minutes, and Suttle knocked down a three. UNLV’s bench outscored Samford’s 22-6, giving Pastner useful contributions when his starters were dealing with fouls and difficult matchups. Those minutes didn’t solve the problems with the half-court offense, but they showed why having more players capable of contributing matters for a team that wants to press for the entire game.
The defensive strategy was interesting for another reason. At halftime, Pastner acknowledged that Samford was finding success around the basket but explained why he was willing to live with some of those opportunities. "I don’t think they can beat us with twos," he told Steve Cofield on the UNLV Sports Network. The Bulldogs finished with 50 points in the paint but made only five of 20 three-point attempts, well below the perimeter volume Pastner had warned about before the game.
Pastner largely got what he wanted from that approach, although the interior defense still needs work. Samford shot better than 50 percent from the field and finished with 16 assists. The Bulldogs also scored 21 points off UNLV’s 13 turnovers, while the Rebels managed only eight points off Samford’s 11. For a team whose identity is built around defensive pressure, I’d like to see that pressure create more scoring opportunities. Making opponents uncomfortable is only part of the job.
Jones helped cover for some of the defensive mistakes with six blocks, including a late rejection of Norris near the basket. Pastner had challenged him at halftime over missed opportunities inside, and Jones continued to have trouble finishing some of those shots. But his defense was another matter. After the late block, Samford couldn’t convert another attempt, and Miles eventually secured the rebound before hitting his fourth three-pointer with 1:25 remaining to give UNLV a 10-point lead.
Miles finished with 20 points and made all eight of his free throws. I’ve said this team will go as far as he takes it, and Saturday didn’t change my opinion. That doesn’t mean he needs to lead UNLV in scoring every night. It means he has to organize the offense, recognize when the defense has taken away the first option and understand when somebody else has a better opportunity. Kiss gave him another option Saturday, and a few more performances like that should make it easier for Pastner to find the freshman meaningful minutes.
Now UNLV is 2-0, which is encouraging even if the historical context is a little depressing. For a program with this history, winning the first two games shouldn’t be a milestone, yet the Rebels hadn’t managed it since the 2022-23 season. There isn’t much reason to celebrate two November victories as though they settle anything, but there is also no reason to apologize for winning while the team works through its problems. Stanford visits the Thomas & Mack Center next Friday, giving UNLV a bigger opportunity to show how much progress it has made.
What I’ll remember from Saturday is Kiss taking the ball from Noard when Samford appeared ready to make another run. Four days after scoring one point against Northern Arizona, the freshman was making some of the most important plays of the afternoon. UNLV still needs better ball movement, and the press has plenty of room for improvement, but Kiss gave Pastner another player who can help address those problems. The Rebels are finding ways to win while figuring out how to play together.
Just keep winning.
