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StumblePublished Friday, Dec. 19, 2008 | 12:03 a.m.
Updated Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 | 9:57 a.m.
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- Dec. 22 -- Beating Arizona, Part II
Stacey Augmon was right in Sean Elliott’s face. He couldn’t have gotten any closer to him. If Stacey had bad breath, Sean Elliott would have suffered.
Stacey was THAT close to Elliott.
That’s one of my favorite memories about our rivalry with Arizona, which is playing UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center at noon Saturday.
That was a real rivalry. It was so intense. It was one of hatred, and the hatred was on their part. I don’t think we hated them as much as they hated us.
I think we beat them five out of six times I was at UNLV.
It was big when we went down to Tucson. The only time they beat us in Tucson, we had a real young group. They were No. 1 in the country when they beat us, 86-75, in Tucson in December 1988.
They went nuts. They stormed the court. They had a redshirt center, Brian Williams, from Bishop Gorman High who had gone on to Los Angeles.
He comes in our locker room and yells, “We’re going to get you at the Mack, too!” He was going nuts.
The great thing is later that season we played them in the NCAA playoffs in Denver. It was a West Regional semifinal. We had beaten Idaho , 68-56, and DePaul, 85-70, to get there.
We weren’t a great team that year. Anderson Hunt, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony were sophomores.
Moses Scurry and David Butler were both juniors. It was their first seasons at UNLV. George Ackles had just come into the program.
We didn’t have a senior.
Arizona beat Clemson by 35 and won its next game by 30 or 35. They were really good.
I didn’t even think we had a shot at all. They were No. 1. Sean Elliott was really, really good.
My wife, Lois, didn’t even go to the game. There was a school board deal. Usually, she wouldn’t miss a game. But she didn’t want to go to lose to Arizona.
My close friend Freddie Glusman didn’t go, either. He didn’t think we’d win.
But Purdue coach Gene Keady came to watch us practice and he said, You’re going to beat Arizona because of your defense. I said, Gene, don’t say that. Don’t tell anyone that.
Then I read in a paper on the plane to Denver that my assistant coaches said, “We think we got a great shot.” Oh my God. Why would they talk like that?
Fans from Vegas started coming into Denver. After our practice we went out to eat and ran into Seton Hall coaches at the same place. We all sat together.
Seton Hall played Indiana. We played Arizona. I’m sitting there thinking, Seton Hall thinks they’ll beat Indiana? I said, God, these guys are nuts.
And Seton Hall did beat Indiana.
We led Arizona the whole game. We played so well. We were really physical. David Butler did a great job in the middle.
Stacey did a great job on Elliott for 35 minutes. We had pictures of Stacey right in Sean’s face. We put that on a brochure of how to play defense. Stacey couldn’t have gotten any closer to him.
Then Elliott got going. He hit a bunch of buckets. With less than a minute to go, they took the lead.
We came down and with four seconds left Anderson Hunt makes a 3-pointer. A guy who played baseball was guarding him. He was quicker than hell and tried taking a charge.
Anderson crossed him over with a dribble step, and there was no call. The other guy was acting. Anderson let it go and it goes in.
I was so happy. It was one of my favorite victories, because it was Arizona. We wanted to beat Arizona bad because of earlier in the year, the way they celebrated on that floor.
Our players went nuts in the locker room. We went back to the hotel and celebrated all night. A bunch of our boosters went to the airport the next day to see Arizona go home.
People were drinking and yelling, Arizona go home! Arizona go home!
I later went to an officials’ seminar in Chicago. I was sitting next to Bobby Knight and they showed this film. Two-thirds of it was our game with Arizona.
They were saying why “this” was a foul and “that” wasn’t a foul. Every time an Arizona guy cut across the lane, David Butler would belt him. Butler was so physical in that game.
Bobby Knight says, “God, Tark, you guys are physical! I had no idea you guys played like that!” That was a great game. We loved it.
That was maybe one of our greatest victories.
Hey Jerry, love reading your stories and thanks for sharing your fond memories of the Runnin Rebels. I have always been a fan of Stacey Augmon both in UNLV and throughout his 15 year NBA career. A great defensive player with one goal in mind, stop his man from scoring points! I truly believe that the 1990 and 1991 UNLV teams are the greatest of all time, they destroyed opponents at will. I love watching their games and the way you lead those teams was inspiring to me when I started playing basketball in 1991. Thanks Jerry, all the best! Cory, from Australia
Wow, they read the LV Sun in Australia.
Coach, here's hoping we put the screws on Arizona defensively on Saturday. I don't want to see it go to a last second shot, though. A blow-out victory is more to my liking!
Coach,
Something tells me that your statement that "I don't think we hated them as much as they hated us" isn't quite true, judging from the rest of the article.
That's OK, however. A healthy hatred is not inspired by second-rate competition. It's great to see that we're back to the point where we can hate, and play, one another.
I received my BA from the U of A and hated the Rebels as much as anyone back in those days (mid '80's). I got my MS and am working on my PhD here at UNLV and, while I don't hate the Wildcats, I will take great pleasure in beating them this Saturday. (It's weird; I'll be rooting against the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon and for them on Saturday evening.)
Much as I hated to admit it at the time, the '90 Rebels were undoubtedly the greatest college basketball team I've ever seen, joined, perhaps, by the Walton and Alcindor UCLA teams. It's looking as though Lon Kruger is building something special here. While we will probably never have a team as good as the '90 team ever again, we certainly have a team we can feel good about. They are a great bunch of young men and play with heart and intensity. GO REBELS!
Surprised about Australia? Heck, Lenny, we're global! :-) There is a big buzz about this game and it would be impressive if the crowd is close to 19,000. The building hasn't burst at its seams since 1991.
It's gonna be hostile tomorrow!!! Come Early, Cheer Loud, Wear Red!!!!
Thanks Jerry, now I'm all pumped up! I remember watching that game on tv when I was 11 years old. Going to have to read this again right before the game tomorrow! COME ON REBS! LET'S GET 'EM!!!
Thanks for the great article, coach. It's great to remember that game. I was only 12 years old and I still remember it vividly! I'm looking forward to tomorrow and I hope can can avenge the losses form the last couple of years! Coach, are you still doing the radio show on Sirius radio? I listend to that show every week last season and was looking forward to hearing it again.
That Baseball Player was Kenny Lofton.
One of my favorite games of all time.
Anyone have that pic of Stacy in Elliots face?
Willard, we'll try to get that foto. Kenny Lofton! Great call.
JOC, the Sirius show starts up first of the year. I believe coach told me it's two hours every Friday, then three come tourney time. I'll dbl ck that with him and look for it here soon.
thanks
Well, that Arizona game was one of my fondest memories. I swear everyone on my street must have been watching that game. I remember walking outside my house after Hunt's shot and a ton of neighbors were outside screaming "REEEBBBBEEEELLLLS!" It turned into a block party. haha.
Wow. Great times jv. THAT's passion
Almost Gametime!!!!!
Great game! Thanks for reliving it coach. One of my favorite games of all time!!!!
I remember Greg Anthony's key rejection on a Zona fast break late in that game. I was 9 years old.
Then a couple months later Anthony came to visit his aunt who taught at Myrtle Tate Elementary (and us kids). I said, "Hey Greg, nice block on Arizona!" He smiled & laughed.
Loved yesterday's game, cheers to the new school Rebs!
Awesome memory coach, as we were chanting the "Rebel" call across the streets and dorms of Reno.
Great stuff folks. Look forward to Part II of his Zona memories Monday morning. Heck, there could even be parts III, IV, V and on up the way he remembers every little detail of those series and battles.
Great stuff, Coach. I was born and raised in Tucson and am a AZ alum....so I was there from the beginning. And it was contentious! Now I live in Vegas and am a RAF member and season ticket holder...so this series nowadays is a definite problem for me. lol
When AZ took the floor last yr at Jerry Tarkanian Court they got booed....hard. So what else is new right? But suddenly the norm became offensive and I got irritated. The old school rivalry overcame me too and before I knew it my Rebel jacket was off and my Bibby jersey was on and I was UA or bust! The people in my section freaked out because I am such a Rebel fan. But that rivalry was special and it was real to both programs and the die hards....so I understand the glow, Coach, because you and UNLV have gotten the best of us overall with a 6-9 mark.
But all due respect.....5 of 6 vs AZ in your tenure is a bit of a stretch. Elliot dominated Augmon in Tucson in '88 and Fred "The Fox" Snowden's AZ teams gave the early Rebels all they wanted.....surely you remember Herm "The Germ" Harris, Jim Rappis, Al Fleming and Bob Elliot....ousting UNLV in the '76 West Regional Sweet 16 in OT? And I think AZ got another W in Tucson during that era too. So I aint buying the "ho hum" vs AZ thing....both sides were/are in it to win it and it pre dated Olson's arrival too. Either way, the rivalry was great for the West coast and college basketball. Both programs were blue chip. It was a special time.
I miss you and Lute both. Keep up the great work because it is AWESOME hearing your point of view! It is an absolute travesty that you arent in the Hall of Fame yet too....but it will happen. Your resume speaks for itself.