The UNLV Runnin' Rebels have been a huge disappointment this season, as they are currently towards the bottom of the Mountain West standings. The Runnin' Rebels started off the season very well and even had an extremely impressive win over Oregon, but since that win, they have been really bad, especially recently. UNLV has lost five of their last eight games, but some of that has to do with injuries. Prized freshman Stephen Zimmerman has been out with a sprained left knee for some time but has now been cleared to practice, according to Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Zimmerman has missed UNLV's last five games with the knee injury he suffered against Fresno State at the beginning of February. Overall, Zimmerman has missed seven games this year, but in the last five he has missed, the team has gone 3-2 without him. The Runnin' Rebels desperately need Zimmerman back, as they are down to just six scholarship players with Dwayne Morgan now being ruled out indefinitely.
Although Zimmerman has been cleared to return to practice, his return to game action is still uncertain, according to Terrence Payne of Fox Sports. Zimmerman was one of the top recruits coming out of high school before this season, and he has put up some nice numbers in his first collegiate season. Through 22 games, the 7-foot freshman is averaging 10.6 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from three.
UNLV's chances of making the NCAA tournament are basically nonexistent at this point considering their record. The only way they could possibly get in would be by winning the Mountain West conference tournament, and they would need to be healthy for that to happen. If Zimmerman and Morgan can make it back for the tournament, they have a punchers chance because they are so talented, but that is a huge if.
This may be Zimmerman's only year at UNLV, as the 19-year-old center is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, according to Draft Express. With that in mind, Zimmerman will likely want to get back on the floor as soon as possible to make the most of his lone college year. At the same time, though, Zimmerman also does not want to risk further injury, which could affect his NBA future, so he will likely proceed with caution.
