Rebels aim to stay focused

Steve Addy

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 10:48 a.m.

Whenever the Rebels play San Diego State, their foremost goal is the same: Don't have a letdown against the Mountain West's worst team.

But UNLV will add one more caveat tonight when it meets the Aztecs in its MWC tournament opener at the Thomas & Mack Center: Don't get kicked out for fighting.

The top-seeded Rebels are not spoiling for an altercation with the Aztecs, who went 0-14 in MWC play, but they have not forgotten a couple of incidents in last Thursday's 85-64 victory at San Diego. Had the referees not taken control, things could have gotten out of hand.

Late in the first half, UNLV center Kaspars Kambala had words with SDSU guards Jeffrey Berokoff and Bradley Jackson until the refs stepped in. In the second half, long after the game became a blowout, Sylvester Dotson and Berokoff were assessed a double-foul for going nose-to-nose. They had to be separated by teammates and the officials.

Rebels coach Bill Bayno advised his players to walk away if any tense situations arise tonight, especially because a fighting ejection is accompanied by an automatic one-game suspension. In a must-win tournament situation, the Rebels could scarcely afford to be short-handed. "You can never emphasize it enough," Bayno said, noting that San Diego State has put Berokoff into the starting lineup.

"I'm not worried about that sort of stuff," Kambala said. "I've never been in a fight."

Trevor Diggs said, "Not to knock San Diego, but if a team can't play with us, they're going to do something to affect our focus. We can't let that happen. We have to keep our cool."

At least Diggs is willing to admit what Bayno refuses to: that San Diego State can't beat the Rebels. Yes, as Bayno insists, anything can happen, but UNLV and everyone else in the Mountain West have dominated the Aztecs. The Rebels beat them by 28 and 21, and SDSU's average margin of defeat was 17. Except for an 81-77 triple-overtime loss to Air Force, the Aztecs didn't come close to winning in the MWC.

With the Rebels' NCAA Tournament hopes relying on winning out this weekend, Bayno is not taking any chances. He hasn't spent any of this week's practice time on anyone except San Diego State. He doesn't want a monumental upset by the Aztecs to mar his team's season.

"Anybody can beat anybody. Wright State beat Michigan State early in the season. Just go right down the line," Bayno said. "But we're not worried about whether San Diego can beat us. We're worried about making them beat us at our best."

Then again, the Aztecs are probably more interested in a merciful end to their 5-22 season. New coach Steve Fisher is devising his blueprint to repair the program, which means several players could be making their swan songs tonight. Fisher is hoping to free up six more scholarships and that would require "running off" underclassmen recruited by previous coach Fred Trenkle.

Junior forward Jim Roban from Las Vegas has missed the season because of back surgery, but he's likely to remain with the program. Top-scoring forward Myron Epps (14.5), center Marcelo Correa and freshman point guard Bradley Jackson will also be back, but after that, it's anyone's guess who Fisher will keep.

The coach isn't building another Fab Five, but he has already signed forward Chris Walton (Bill Walton's youngest son) and forward Aerick Sanders for next season.

"It's no secret that he is out there trying to bring in players," sophomore Berokoff told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "For us to worry about it doesn't make sense. If I come back, great. If I don't, great. (But) ultimately, it's not going to be my decision."

* REBEL NOTES: Mark Dickel spent Wednesday's practice on the sidelines because of a sore back, but he'll play tonight. "I'm even second team in practice," he joked, referring to not making the all-MWC first team this week. ...

The hard cast has been removed from Lou Kelly's broken right foot and he is wearing a boot. But don't expect him back at practice this season, Bayno said.