Rebels look to stay unbeaten, set for UNR

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999 | 9:23 a.m.

First-year Nevada-Reno coach Trent Johnson isn't the only one who wanted his team to get off to a 2-0 start this season.

"I would have rather (had) them beat San Francisco," UNLV head coach Bill Bayno said. "Because maybe they would have come in here a little overconfident.

"But I know Trent Johnson. I have a lot of respect for him and they're going to try to come in here and win this game."

UNLV (2-0) will host UNR (1-1) at 7:35 tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Wolf Pack opened the season with an impressive 80-55 victory over Washington State before falling 78-73 to the Dons. The Rebels won their first two games, over Mississippi Valley State and Fairfield, with ease.

In certain respects, the teams have similar identities.

Johnson inherits a team that was 8-18 last season and has only one returning starter while Bayno's team has two starters back from last year's squad that finished 16-13.

The Wolf Pack has four freshmen and the Rebels have five junior college transfer students and one freshman.

Both coaches are in the process of making sure their players form a cohesive unit.

Bayno has made it clear that he wants the Rebels to run all season long and says that although UNR is a team that also likes to run, the Wolf Pack might use a different tactic tonight.

"They'll try to play slow and use the clock and the half-court (offense)," Bayno said. "I think they'll try to jam our point guard and keep us from running as quickly.

"They might throw some three-quarter zone press against us. But it's nothing we haven't seen."

One thing Bayno won't see is an arrogant UNR team.

Ask Johnson about the Rebels and he talks about UNLV with utmost respect and reverence.

"I'm not sure we'll be able to do either," Johnson said of stopping the Rebels or running with them. "(Kaspars) Kambala, I'm familiar with, and Mark Dickel. They've got an experienced post and an experience point. They're pretty deep and very talented.

"It's a supreme challenge for us. We're gonna try and put ourselves in positions where we're in the game late."

UNLV freshman Dalron Johnson will try to put himself in better position to help the Rebels.

Johnson was in the starting lineup for both games, but experienced the normal growing pains of a first-year player trying to make a good impression.

Against Mississippi Valley State, he scored four points and had four rebounds in 16 minutes.

Because Johnson looked confused on defense and didn't display the tenacity on the boards he does during practice, he spent more time on the bench than on the floor.

"I was a little upset with the way I played," Johnson said of his debut. "I was too intense and found myself lost at times.

"I got my head filled up with things like trying to be freshman of the year."

He learned his lesson. In UNLV's 92-68 win over Fairfield last Sunday, Johnson looked more lively. He had eight points and two rebounds in 19 minutes.

Still, Johnson acknowledged he has a long way to go.

"In the second game, I was more comfortable," he said. "But I didn't get it started early so Chris Richardson came in and did a great job to help us win.

"I'm just going to come out and play hard on defense. And be focused on rebounding the ball."