Starting Five: Changes at UNLV

Over the weekend, UNLV fired Dave Rice, UCLA’s Steve Alford had the rare opportunity to watch four committed players in the same game and Ole Miss grabbed a four-star junior. Those items and much more are in this week’s edition of the Starting Five.

Since taking over the UNLV job for the 2011-12 season, Dave Rice has signed four five-star and nine four-star prospects. He also made the NCAA Tournament his first two seasons on the job.

It wasn’t enough.

Sunday night the fifth-year head coach was relieved of his duties by UNLV administration after missing the last two NCAA Tournaments and getting off to a 9-7 (0-3 in the Mountain West) start in 2015-16.

In the interim, assistant coach Todd Simon -- who has formerly the head coach at prep power Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep -- takes over to finish out the season.

Along with trying to string together some wins and maybe make a late run at the NCAA Tournament, Simon will be charged with protecting UNLV’s 16th ranked 2016 recruiting class that is headlined by four-star prospects Jaylen Fisher and Justin Jackson.

All four commitments have signed their Letters of Intent meaning that they are technically off limits to other schools, but it is a safe bet that the wolves will be out and programs desperate for players will be looking to poach the Rebels' haul.

It isn’t all that often that a coach gets to watch four of his future players in one game, but Steve Alford got to do that on Saturday night. Fresh off a win over Arizona State, the UCLA coach got to watch 2016 five-star PF T.J. Leaf of San Diego (Calif.) Foothills Christian take on Chino Hills (Calif.) High and their trio of Bruin committed brothers made up of five-star senior point guard Lonzo Ball, three-star junior wing LiAngelo Ball and freshman guard LaMelo Ball.

A pair of free throws by Lonzo Ball with under 10 seconds left secured a one-point win and kept Chino Hills undefeated on the season. The wizardly passer finished with 24 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds. While ball had the triple double and the win, it was Leaf who stole the show.

Ranked No. 15 overall in 2016, the 6-foot-9 Leaf put on an impressive display of offense while racking up 43 points. He hit jumpers, he drove for dunks, he scored in the post, he found teammates and he along with the Ball brothers surely left Alford smiling about the Bruins' future.

Last week, Ole Miss opened up their new hoops facility “The Pavilion.” While it might be a stretch to say that it was the driving force behind their most recent commitment, the unveiling of the shining facility while hosting a key prospect like 2017 four-star wing Jatrious Smith didn’t hurt.

While in town for the Rebels' win over Georgia on Saturday, the 6-foot-4 high flyer from Mableton (Ga.) Pebblebrook made a verbal commitment to Andy Kennedy’s program.

A native of North Carolina, Smith is a big-time athlete who can explode over much bigger players for emphatic jams in transition. He has the length and lateral quickness to be a good defender and fits the mold of the physically tough and athletic interchangeable part type player that Kennedy likes to load his roster up with.

Staying in the class of 2017, let’s talk shooting guard Brandon Randolph.

A lean 6-foot-5 off guard at Westtown (Pa.) School, Randolph has been one of the biggest risers of the winter. A crafty and rangy scorer similar to UNLV sophomore Patrick McCaw, Randolph isn’t likely to fly under the radar like McCaw did coming out of high school.

Currently a three-star prospect, Randolph is a lock for the next edition of the 2017 Rivals150 and he has a good chance of entering as a four-star prospect.

This winter Randolph has picked up offers from Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Seton Hall, James Madison, VCU, Manhattan, George Washington and Hofstra. More offers are likely coming this winter and he’s one that could see another boost in his recruitment once he hits the Nike EYBL circuit with the PSA Cardinals.

The transfer season really heats up at the end of the college season, but there is always some mid-season action. Late last week, three four-star prospects found new homes.

Six-foot-9 post player Elijah Thomas, who ranked No. 29 in 2015 Rivals150, confirmed to Rivals that he was leaving Texas A&M to enroll at Clemson. No. 44 Austin Grandstaff, a shooting guard, announced that his next stop would be Oklahoma after beginning his career at Ohio State. Finally, No. 52 Trevor Manuel needed just a few days after receiving his release from Oregon to announce Loyola Marymount as his next destination.