UNLV loses freshman center Zimmerman to sprained left knee

LAS VEGAS (AP) UNLV freshman center Stephen Zimmerman Jr. will be out indefinitely with a sprained left knee.

Zimmerman was injured in the first half of the Runnin' Rebels double-overtime loss to Fresno State on Saturday. His injury came a week after junior forward Ben Carter tore his ACL against San Diego State and was lost for the season.

The 7-foot center was the centerpiece of UNLV's incoming recruiting class after playing at nearby Gorman High School. He is UNLV's second-leading scorer at 10.6 points per game and leads the Runnin' Rebels with 9.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game.

The loss of Zimmerman and Carter leaves UNLV (13-11, 4-7 Mountain West) without two of its biggest and best defensive players as it heads into the final stretch of the conference season.