Resilient Rebels cage Tigers

      Sometimes, unbridled emotion can mask a multitude of flaws on a basketball court.
      Poor shooting. Questionable shot selection. Average defense. Weary legs.
      And it can also carry a team to a 26-7 run and an improbable victory on Wednesday night.
      UNLV, trailing by 15 points in the second half and staring at the possibility of having its season snuffed out on its home court, stormed back to knock off Memphis 66-62 in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
      The high-wire performance came before a season-low but sky-high crowd of 6,575 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
      "I'm so pleased with our intensity, especially on defense," Rebel coach Bill Bayno said. "It puzzles me sometimes how we can go into funks, and I tried everything I could tonight to get us to play with emotion. But the players got it going themselves."
      UNLV (21-9) plays Hawaii, a 71-61 winner over Oregon, Monday in the NIT's second round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The time will be announced later.
      The Rebels, trailing 36-27 at the half, went down 55-40 on a 3-pointer by reserve forward Keldrick Bradford at the 14:22 mark. Tiger forward Cedric Henderson scored eight points in the opening five minutes and looked ready to shoot UNLV out of its own arena.
      But Sunshine Smith locked up on Henderson and held him scoreless the rest of the way, and Kevin James seized control of UNLV's scatter-shot offense and shadowed Tigers point guard Chris Garner.
      "They keys were Sunshine holding down Henderson and Kevin's play at the point," Bayno said. "We started posting the ball more and doing the things that make us successful."
      The Rebels simply took off, holding the Tigers scoreless for more than eight minutes and running off 15 straight points, tying the score 55-55 at the 6:11 mark on a free throw by Smith.
      A minute later, UNLV had its first lead since the opening 10 minutes when James hit a pair of free throws to make it 59-57.
      The game was tied 61-61 when James made a key steal, stripping Sunday Adebayo in the lane at the 2:35 mark. Tyrone Nesby hit one of two free throws on the next Rebel possession and it was 62-61. UNLV never trailed again.
      With UNLV leading 64-62, the Tigers (16-15), playing in Larry Finch's final game as head coach, worked the ball to Henderson on the right side with 10 seconds to go. He drove right, but missed a short bank shot with seven seconds left.
      Keon Clark, who scored 23 points with 12 rebounds, grabbed the rebound and passed off to Smith, who was fouled by Harry Allen with 3.9 seconds to go.
      Smith made both, and the Rebels had the victory.
      Nesby scored 15 points and had 11 rebounds for UNLV, which shot just 35 percent.
      In the opening half, UNLV led for 10 minutes, then faltered. The Rebels shot just 10 of 32 from the floor and hit just 1 of 12 3-pointers. UNLV also missed 6 of 12 free throws.
      Even so, the Rebels were up 14-9 after a Lane free throw at the 14:42 mark, but Memphis used a 10-3 run over the next five minutes to take a 19-16 lead. Garner hit two layups during the series, the second giving the Tigers their three-point lead with 9:09 to go.
      UNLV stayed close until a second, more damaging run helped Memphis take its nine-point halftime lead.
      It was 23-23 after a Damian Smith jumper at the 4:49 mark, then the Tigers used a half-ending, 13-4 spurt to go up 36-27.
      Although they were down, the Rebels said they weren't worried.
      "I knew we'd make a good run at them," Clark said. "We've been in that position before. We put our hearts on the line tonight."