UNR not an easy mark for Rebels

Steve Addy

Friday, Dec. 8, 2000 | 9:47 a.m.

RENO -- Strictly by geography, UNLV and Nevado-Reno are unquestionably basketball rivals.

But it takes more than rivals to make a rivalry.

The series between the schools has been so one-sided -- UNLV owns a 46-15 lead -- that the Rebels have several games in any season that rate higher than UNR on the goose-bump scale, even if the Wolf Pack has climbed to the WAC after eight years in the Big West.

Besides, this year's meeting doesn't require any trumped-up intrastate hype. When the teams play Saturday night at Lawlor Events Center, UNR (4-1) won't be an easy mark for the Rebels. The Wolf Pack won its first four games until Sunday's 61-56 loss at Portland State.

"This is the biggest game of the year for them, so we have to take the same approach," UNLV coach Bill Bayno said. "But I don't think it's a bigger rivalry than a lot of teams we play, like Utah. It's really more of a rivalry in football.

"But it's always a tough game on their home court. They will have a big crowd, and it will be a good test for us."

Even if UNR was lousy this year, the Rebels couldn't afford to take the Wolf Pack lightly. UNLV is 3-3 after last Saturday's overtime defeat at Oklahoma State and the non-conference schedule contains no more margin for error.

With three losses by a total of 14 points, including two in overtime, the Rebels are anxious to put together a solid 40-minute effort. Even in their victories, they have usually used one good half to overcome a poor one. At OSU, they had to rally from a 13-point first-half deficit.

"We haven't been able to do it for 40 minutes," shooting guard Trevor Diggs said. "We can't have these bad starts all the time. We can't put ourselves in a hole every game. That's something we need to get over."

Against UNR last season, Diggs scored a game-high 20 points as the host Rebels won 98-79. He will be vital Saturday, too, because he will have to play some point guard. Backup Jevon Banks is out with a sprained ankle, so Diggs will again relieve freshman starter Lafonte Johnson.

When Banks got hurt in the first half against OSU, with Johnson struggling, Diggs took over at quarterback and settled the Rebels' erratic offense. They lost 77-69, but at least they learned that Diggs can run the show if Johnson is overwhelmed.

"I don't think (Johnson) has seen that kind of pressure all year," Bayno said. "He's a freshman, and that was just one of those nights. But I was pleased with the way (Diggs) played. He hadn't played the point in several games and he did well."

Guard play will be crucial Saturday because UNR plays an up-tempo game and UNLV needs to counter with good transition defense. In the halfcourt, the Wolf Pack will be perimeter-oriented, led by sophomore shooting guard Terrance Green and point guard Andre Hazel.

Green leads UNR with a 16-point average, but that is deceivingly low because he suffered a sprained ankle in Sunday's loss and had only two points in nine minutes. He is expected to play against UNLV. In the Wolf Pack's wins, Green's scoring totals were 31, 17, 17 and 13.

"They're going to push the ball on us," Bayno said. "We've got to get back and match up with them, and make them execute on offense."

The Wolf Pack has only one starter taller than 6-foot-7, but hasn't been outrebounded yet. UNR tops the WAC with 16 offensive rebounds per game and a 9.6 rebound differential.