YEAR 2007 IN REVIEW

1. UNLV is a basketball school again.

It was a return to the good ol' days for the Rebels, who finished 30-7, won the Mountain West Conference Tournament and won two NCAA Tournament games to reach the Sweet 16 before losing 76-72 to Oregon on March 23.

UNLV not only made its first NCAA Tournament since 2000, but won its first tournament game since the 1991 Rebels advanced to the Final Four.

"One of the goals I set at the beginning of the year was to put pride back into UNLV basketball," savvy senior point guard Kevin Kruger said. "And we did that."

No pressure, Rebels, but keep it going.

2. NBA All-Star Weekend

We waited a year for this? The footrace between Charles Barkley and Dick Bavetta was the weekend's high point.

3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Oscar De La Hoya fight

Say this for Floyd Jr. -- he talks a lot of smack, but he backs it up. He retired after the fight, but had his fingers crossed.

4. AEG/Harrah's arena proposal/deal

The race is on between an AEG arena behind Bally's and a proposed downtown project. The smart money is on AEG.

5. NASCAR weekend at speedway draws record crowd

The new surface at LVMS wasn't a big hit with drivers -- it's too dangerous, some said -- but the fans sure turned out.

6. (tie) Team USA qualifies for 2008 Olympics by winning FIBA Americas Championship

Remember when the U.S. didn't have to slum in qualifying tournaments to make the Olympics? Sadly, neither do we.

6. (tie) Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Ricky Hatton fight

The booing Brits showed up to back their boy Hatton, but they were crying in their Guinness after Floyd KO'd him.

8. UNLV football finishes with another two-win season; Mike Sanford retained as coach

Following are the Rebels' records from Sanford's first three seasons: 2-9, 2-10, 2-10. Anyone for season tickets?

9. Boxer Diego Corrales dies in motorcycle accident

On May 7, the former champion crashed his new Suzuki on northbound Fort Apache Road and was killed. He was 29.

10. Troubled Gladiators leave Las Vegas for Cleveland

On Oct. 16, the Arena Football League franchise pulled up stakes and left. Sounds like another Mistake by the Lake.