UNLV aims to get back on track

Steve Carp

Monday, Feb. 15, 1999 | 10:32 a.m.

Rebels at Tulsa

When: Today, 8:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN2, Cox Channel 31

Radio: KXNT, 840 AM

TULSA, Okla. -- There was a Kaspars Kambala sighting at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport Sunday afternoon. That is good news for UNLV fans who had to be wondering where the 6-foot-9 sophomore center had disappeared to Saturday in a 59-55 loss at Rice.

And on the subject of things that are missing, perhaps Brian Keefe, Greedy Daniels and Desmond Herod will find their jump shots in time for tonight's 8:35 nationally televised game with Tulsa at the Reynolds Center.

If the Rebels fail to get some outside scoring and Kambala decides to pull another disappearing act, things are going to get mighty interesting at the top of the WAC Mountain Division.

Burdened by foul trouble and hampered by a pulled right quadricep, Kambala was shut out in 15 minutes of inaction by a Rice team he had schooled for 24 points and 13 rebounds the first time around Jan. 14.

"I don't know what happened," Kambala said of his doughnut, only the second of his career (he had no points in four minutes against New Mexico in January 1998). "It was just one of those nights where nothing went right."

Without Kambala contributing, the bulk of the UNLV offense fell to Kevin Simmons and Shawn Marion, each of whom finished with 21 points. But for UNLV to win tonight against a Tulsa squad that is champing at the bit for revenge following last month's 73-55 drubbing it took at the Thomas & Mack Center, Simmons and Marion are going to need some help.

And not just from Kambala. Though that would be a nice place to start.

"When Kas is going good, he opens things up for everybody," Marion said. "We need to get him going early at Tulsa and get him involved."

But what about a perimeter game that went just 3-for-17 against Rice and got very little scoring from the off-guard spot (just 1 of 9 from the field)?

"We've got to start inside-out," coach Bill Bayno said. "But we've got to make some shots from the outside."

Keefe, who was 0-for-4 vs. Rice, said he needs to do a better job of shaking loose, then taking advantage of his chances.

"We know they're going to double in the post and try to take the strongest part of our game away from us," he said. "Whoever is playing the two -- me, Des, Greedy -- we've got to take the pressure off of Kevin and Shawn. They've been carrying the load and someone has to hit the outside shot."

All three guards played well defensively Saturday. Daniels had four assists and two steals while Herod did a nice job of keeping Robert Johnson, Rice's top gun, in check during a good portion of the second half.

"Des and Greedy gave us a big lift," Bayno said of the defense both players provided. "We may go with the small lineup against Tulsa. It's been good to us."

UNLV should feel more at home with the tempo it will see tonight at the Reynolds Center. Tulsa will look to push the ball more and at the same time, try to establish its two post players -- Michael Ruffin and Brandon Kurtz -- early, much like UNLV likes to do with Kambala.

The Golden Hurricane made one significant lineup change in Saturday's 78-75 win over Air Force. Eric Coley came off the bench with freshman Greg Harrington starting in the backcourt.

Harrington had a career-high 19 points while Coley, who has been battling injuries, made a couple of key plays down the stretch to preserve the win. He kept alive a missed Ruffin free throw that landed in the hands of teammate Tony Heard, then he blocked David Schuck's shot with 20 seconds to go.

Harrington had 10 points off the bench in the first UNLV-Tulsa game while Coley struggled, scoring just eight points in 32 minutes.

Hoop du jour Win or lose, UNLV will remain in first place in the WAC Mountain Division. A loss would move Rice and Tulsa to within a half-game of the top spot. A win and the Rebels will be 1 1/2 up on Rice, 2 1/2 on Tulsa. ... UNLV wants to be the first team to defeat Tulsa in its new building. The Golden Hurricane is 6-0 in the Reynolds Center since it opened Dec. 29. Overall, Tulsa is 12-0 at home this season, including the six games it played at the Tulsa Convention Center. ... The Rebels do have a history of some success here. The Rebels are 2-0 lifetime, having last won at Tulsa in 1979. Overall, the Rebels lead the series 4-1. ... It's the battle of the double-doubles tonight as Tulsa's Michael Ruffin brings 13 to the floor against Shawn Marion, who has posted seven. ... The Golden Hurricane will be without F DeAngelo McDaniel, who is sidelined with a stress fracture to his lower back. McDaniel, a 6-9 freshman, started against UNLV in the first meeting this year, played seven minutes but did not score.