New-look Rebels hope to come together over next three weeks

For a basketball program that has been virtually rebuilt under a new coaching staff, a trip to the Bahamas couldn’t come at a better time for UNLV.

The NCAA allows a program one international trip every four years as well as 10 practices before such an excursion.

With only three returning players, the Rebels — who began practice Monday at Mendenhall Center — could use the extra time to get to learn more than each other’s first names. After these two weeks of practice, which are closed to the public, they will be in the Caribbean on Aug. 13-20 and play exhibition games against a Canadian team and two from the Bahamas.

“These two weeks are more for bonding, of getting to know each other and…