A forgettable start to his final college season hung in the air before an announced crowd of 5,107 at T-Mobile Arena, but when Noah Robotham’s fallaway 3-pointer fell, the Rebels had a 92-90 overtime victory over Brigham Young.
Sports Columns
In a game they never led and, well, one you really never thought they would win, the Rebels fell to Cincinnati 65-61 before an announced gathering of 9,572 at the Thomas Mack Center.
UNLV’s basketball team continues its seven-game homestand to open the season Wednesday night against Valparaiso, when senior Shakur Juiston will take his usual place in the starting lineup and once again pursue rebounds like a cat might a feather on a bobbing string.
One of the main problems with UNLV athletics, perhaps the central one, is the fact it either doesn’t realize or accept its place in today’s world of collegiate athletics.
UNLV played better than that forgettable loss to Loyola Marymount, walking away a winner on Tuesday night before an announced gathering of 7,327 at Thomas Mack Center.
Dan Ayala was one of the founders of the informal basketball coaches’ breakfast held in conjunction with summertime horse racing meetings in Del Mar, California. The former Lady Rebels coach died Monday at age 82.
This is about the journey, and how ridiculously difficult it is, and how hard it has been for UNLV players of late to not only navigate, but reach its summit and stick in the league.
Gonzaga owned the lion’s share when it came to this whole leaving the West Coast Conference for the Mountain West scenario, but that doesn’t mean the league in which UNLV exists shouldn’t have made the effort.
When it comes to the UNLV vs. UNR rivalry, and the disparity it may cause among Nevadans, the Jingoli family of Las Vegas can identify with TV’s “The Brady Bunch.”
The final horn sounded Thursday and an admirable UNLV effort had been squelched by a better opponent, meaning it was again time to assess another basketball season.
UNLV advanced to meet No. 1 seed UNR by outlasting Air Force 97-90 in overtime of a Mountain West tournament first-round game Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Rebels beat Air Force 81-73 and with it allowed UNLV to reach 30 wins over the short tenure of head coach Marvin Menzies.
UNLV junior Shakur Juiston was the best player on the floor Saturday night and because of it and other key contributions, UNLV beat San Diego State for the first time since 2013.
The Rebels lost another Mountain West home game Wednesday night in which they were a prohibitive favorite, this time falling to a New Mexico side with absolutely no depth and less talent than the Lobos have had in years.
After falling to Utah State 85-78 on Saturday, UNLV is 1-2 in Mountain West play and has dropped both conference games at the Thomas Mack Center.
