Clark is Rebels’ savior

THE NUMBERS: Despite a lengthy second-half drought where it failed to make a field goal over an eight-minute span, Memphis shot 49 percent from the floor for the game. It was the best an opponent

Thursday, March 13, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Keon Clark is not in the prophecy business, but the 6-foot-11 center was right. He can't be expected to win games by himself.

And for a while Wednesday, it appeared Clark was all UNLV had in its attempt to get past Memphis in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

He had 13 points at halftime, only to see his team behind 36-27. And he was the only one scoring early in the second half as Memphis built a 15-point lead. He was the lone soldier defending the fort until the cavalry arrived in the form of Sunshine Smith and Kevin James to turn back the Tigers and help UNLV advance to the second round with a 66-62 come-from-behind victory.

"I knew the guys would help me," said Clark, who finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. "Once we tightened up on the D, I knew we'd be all right."

Clark, who has struggled at times the past few weeks when first inserted in the lineup, did make it a point to get active early. He checked in just 2:08 into the contest and made his presence felt with an alley-oop slam dunk courtesy of Tony Lane, of all people. Then he sent one of Sunday Adebayo's shots halfway to Parhump and Smith finished the play with a layup to put UNLV ahead 11-5.

But suddenly, the Rebels went brain dead offensively, abandoning their attacking style and settling for jump shots. The nadir was a 3-on-1 break late in the first half that saw Clark with the ball, throw it up on the backboard and look to catch it for a highlight-reel slam dunk.

Instead, he lost control, bowled over a Memphis defender and was called for traveling.

"I was trying to get me an ESPY award," he said sheepishly of the botched play which had coach Bill Bayno doing a slow burn on the sidelines.

But eventually, all the Rebels got under control and used some tenacious defense to rally in the second half and pull out the victory. Now, it's a third go-round with Hawaii and Clark is looking forward to Monday.

'We owe them one," he said of the Rainbows, who swept the Rebels during the WAC season, winning both games by a total of three points.

Hoop du jour

* SEASON CONTINUES: With the win, UNLV is now 6-5 all-time in NIT games and advances to the second round for the third time in four NIT appearances. UNLV needs to win Monday against Hawaii to advance to the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at either Pittsburgh or Arkansas. The last time UNLV was still playing basketball this late in March was in 1991 when the Rebels were en route to the NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis.