What a week for UNLV

Steve Carp

Monday, March 9, 1998 | 9:31 a.m.

They hadn't even begun to cut down the nets and the congratulatory faxes were already coming in to the UNLV basketball office.

Friends of coach Bill Bayno and his coaching staff. Colleagues from across the nation. And just regular UNLV fans. All were giving the Rebels an electronic pat on the back for the amazing feat they had accomplished.

And as the celebration continued following UNLV's 56-51 win over No. 20 New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference championship game Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, the phone calls began accompanying the faxes.

By the time the Rebels found out Sunday where they were playing their first NCAA Tournament game since 1991, the messages were stacking up like cars on a Los Angeles freeway at rush hour.

Such is the price you pay for success. But Bayno and his players will tell you it was well worth it.

"We've been through a lot," junior forward Kevin Simmons said. "That's what makes this so special."

And this team has been through a lot. Suspensions. Injuries. A rugged preseason schedule. Criticism from fans and media. It's understandable the odds were stacked against UNLV when the week began.

But what a week it was. Four wins in five nights, including two over teams ranked in the top 20 (No. 5 Utah and No. 20 New Mexico), and an emotional matchup against former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian and Fresno State in the semifinals.

Yes, the team was playing at home. Yes, the crowd was a big help. But it was up to the players to get it done.

Here's how they did it:

Tough draw

When he learned that Hawaii was his first-round opponent in the WAC tournament, Bayno conceded it was not the best thing that could have happened. Especially considering Riley Wallace's Rainbows had won five straight, including an impressive win at Fresno State a couple of nights before.

"We've got a tough, tough draw," Bayno said.

But despite its success, Hawaii wasn't operating on all cylinders. Star guard Anthony Carter was suffering from back spasms for the better part of a week and simply wasn't himself.

UNLV senior forward Tyrone Nesby, who admitted hadn't been himself in recent weeks, decided he wasn't going to go out quietly. He had 17 points and a look of determination is his eyes.

"I'm just trying to play each game as if it's my last," he said after the 64-59 win that improved the team's record to 17-12 and locked up at least an NIT berth. "It's been a real frustrating year for me at times with everything. But this is tournament time. You lose, you're done.

"I ain't done."

Third time the charm

Some say UNLV's season turned around the day it was embarrassed at home by Utah in late January. Down 20 at halftime, Bayno benched Nesby among others. Although the Rebels still lost, it marked the beginning of the team's cohesion.

The Rebels had lost to Rick Majerus' team again the week prior to the tournament at Salt Lake City. But they had played much better and had they made their free throws, they had a shot at winning.

Back home, they knew what they had to do -- make shots and rebound. Nesby did both. He led the way with 22 points on a night when Keefe failed to score, Kevin Simmons and Kaspars Kambala struggled offensively and the team shot just 33 percent from the floor.

The key was defense and rebounding. The Utes shot just 34 percent and were badly outrebounded 47-35 as Simmons and Kambala grabbed 10 apiece.

The Rebels made only 17 shots, but Simmons and Nesby combined to provide the biggest make to date.

With 1:28 to go, Nesby curled to the top of the key. Simmons, reading the play, set a great pick on Alex Jensen to get Nesby free. Nesby got a clean look and knocked down a 3-pointer to put UNLV ahead 52-51. He then closed the Utes out with two free throws with nine seconds left, putting UNLV in the semifinals with a 54-51 win.

"I knew Ty would knock down the shot," Simmons said. "I just wanted to set a great screen."

Danny eats his words

Bayno always talks about coaching emotion although he shouldn't have needed to in the semifinals against Tarkanian and Fresno State. But just for a little insurance, he was reminded of a quote by Tarkanian's son, Danny, that had appeared in October in Basketball Times.

The younger Tarkanian said he hoped Fresno would meet the Rebels in the WAC tournament so they could ... well, beat them rather badly.

Even though he said he wouldn't do it, Bayno had copies of the inflammatory statement posted in the team's dressing room and in each player's locker.

No one was more stoked than Keefe. He had been held scoreless once again by Utah and the last time that happened, the 6-foot-4 junior went for a career-high 27 against Wyoming.

But he had additional incentive. The Winchester, Mass., native was going head-to-head against another Bay Stater, FSU guard Chris Herren of Fall River. There's no love lost between these two and Keefe got the jump on Herren with 15 first-half points.

Herren, who appeared to be preening for a fight with the entire UNLV team prior to the game with his trash-talking, got a measure of revenge by scoring 11 points. But he wasn't doing enough.

Meanwhile, UNLV point guard Mark Dickel stepped out of the shadows and buried Fresno with a big 3-pointer with 4:19 left to put UNLV back in front 65-62 after the Bulldogs briefly led.

It would not be Dickel's last clutch basket.

With a near-capacity crowd of 17,904 roaring, the Rebels iced it by making five of their last seven free throws to prevail 67-76 and gain a spot in what would be an all-Mountain Division final against New Mexico.

As the fans stormed the court in celebration, someone stuffed Danny Tarkanian's Xeroxed quotes into the stunned assistant's shirt pocket.

He didn't eat his words, but he did get to wear them.

Back to The Dance

The talk across the country Saturday was that UNLV was sitting squarely on the NCAA bubble. Some thought the Rebels were in, win or lose. Others believed they had to beat New Mexico to get in.

Emotion had carried UNLV to this point. But how much did the Rebels have left in their tank?

Good question, since they appeared to be on the verge of fading midway through the second half after making just three field goals in the first 11 minutes.

At one time, UNLV led Saturday's championship game by 13 points. But the Rebels found themselves trailing 51-47 and time was running out.

But Dickel, as he had done the night before against Fresno State, stepped up and hit a big 3-pointer. This one came with 2:10 left and pulled UNLV within one.

Then Nesby, who was having his worst game of the tournament and hadn't scored in the second half, came up with the clutch basket of the season when he nailed a 10-foot turnaround from the right side with 1:18 to play, putting the Rebels ahead for good, 52-51.

Lamont Long had three shots to get New Mexico back in front or to tie. But he missed all three and Dickel and Nesby made their free throws in the final 29.2 seconds.

For the third straight night, the fans stormed the floor in celebration, this time knowing the team was going back to the NCAAs for the first time since 1991.

"I truly believed this team was capable of doing something special," Bayno said. "Ever since that first practice after we lost Keon (Clark), we had great workouts and the guys really pulled together.

"It's been an incredible run and I'm just so happy for the kids and the coaches. All of these wins have been tremendous."