UNLV notebook: Rebels go on scoring spree with ‘Kas’ on bench

Steve Addy

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

SAN DIEGO -- From the final stats, it looks as if Rebels center Kaspars Kambala had an excellent game against San Diego State on Thursday.

After all, his 19 points topped UNLV in its 85-64 victory, and he had 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double in 13 Mountain West games.

But, truth be told, the Rebels played their best ball while Kambala was on the bench.

Coach Bill Bayno yanked an uninspired Kambala only 4:19 into the game with UNLV ahead 7-4. When he returned 4:25 later, the Rebels were ahead 22-4. Kambala finally scored on a layup, ending a 29-1 spurt that gave UNLV a 33-5 lead with 9:29 left in the half.

"That has happened other times when Kas went out," Mark Dickel said. "But we've gone on runs with me on the bench, too. That happens. Sometimes, other people step in and play great."

UNLV led 42-18 at halftime, but Kambala had only two points on 1-of-4 field goals and he wasn't playing especially well defensively.

"I pulled him to talk about some defensive assignments and rebounding," Bayno said. "He went back in, was focused and got himself going."

Kambala said, "In the second half, I took care of business," though it must be noted that the Rebels were comfortably ahead the entire half, with their lead never dipping below 19.

With UNLV's biggest game of the season coming up Saturday against New Mexico, no one seemed too fearful that Kambala will not play his best. In the Rebels' 82-73 victory at New Mexico on Jan. 17, he had career highs of 32 points and 18 rebounds against mostly man-to-man defense.

"Kas will show up. We're not worried about that," guard Danny Brotherson said.

"But we can't expect Kas to get 32 and 18 again," Bayno cautioned.

"They are probably going to pay me more attention than last time," Kambala said of the Lobos.

* CHIPPY GAME: For a blowout, Thursday's win was rather contentious. Kambala was pulled late in the first half after he had words with the Aztecs' Jeffrey Berokoff and Bradley Jackson. In the second half, Sylvester Dotson and Berokoff were assessed a double-foul after going nose-to-nose for a moment. They were separated by teammates and officials.

* LOBO SUSPENDED: There was also rough stuff in New Mexico's 76-68 victory over Colorado State, and it resulted in an ejection and one-game suspension for Lobos reserve forward Roland Hannah. The 6-foot-6 senior will miss Saturday's game at UNLV because he threw two punches at the Rams' David Fisher in a second-half tussle. Hannah is New Mexico's No. 2 rebounder (4.9).

* DIGGS SUBS: Brotherson started in place of shooting guard Trevor Diggs, who is suffering from the flu. Brotherson played well, compiling 11 points and five assists, while Diggs shot 2-of-10 for six points in 21 minutes. He had started 24 of the Rebels' first 25 games. "He didn't have great legs on his shot," Bayno said. "I feel better because we won," Diggs said.

* 20-WIN MARK: If the Rebels defeat New Mexico, they will be 20-7 for their third 20-win season in Bayno's five-year tenure. They went 22-10 in 1996-97 and 20-13 in 1997-98.

* FESTIVE DAY: Saturday's game tips off at 12:07 p.m., but fans are asked to arrive a bit early for Senior Day festivities. Dickel and Issiah Epps will be honored. Also, UNLV's all-millennium team will be announced; voting has taken place all season.