Rebels get things started with a win

Steve Addy

Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 | 10:39 a.m.

The Rebels raised the curtain on their season Friday night. At the same time, they raised their hopes of making a good showing next week in the Maui Invitational.

With a performance as efficient as it was energetic, UNLV opened with an 81-60 victory over Northern Arizona before an announced crowd of 11,662 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

With the specter of meeting powerful No. 8 Illinois on Monday night in the opening round of the Hawaii tournament, UNLV had exactly the kind of uplifting debut it needed. Almost every Rebel played well, and the visiting Lumberjacks were really no match.

UNLV was led by Trevor Diggs and Kaspars Kambala with 18 points each, but it was really defense that keyed the win. Northern Arizona is annually among the nation's top 3-point shooting teams, but was able to attempt only 13 from behind the arc, making four.

"All in all, I thought it was a solid effort to hold them to 30 points in each half," Rebels coach Bill Bayno said. "I came in expecting the worst, like maybe we weren't going to get any bounces. This is one of those games that you can't afford to lose, not with the top-25 teams on our schedule."

That odyssey will begin against Illinois on Monday against a Maui field among the best ever for an early-season event. With the exception of Division II host Chaminade, all seven other teams made the NCAA Tournament last season. The field also includes Arizona, UConn, Maryland, Louisville, Dayton.

"We're going to have an opportunity to play some tough teams in Maui," Bayno said. "We'll go down there and lay it on the line. It's certainly better to go there after a win than a loss."

Especially after a win in which so many Rebels played well. As usual, the senior Kambala was difficult to stop around the basket, shooting 7-of-11, and the relaxed Diggs shot 7-of-14, mostly from outside. Dalron Johnson supplied 15 points, and three subs combined for 18 points, 10 boards and six assists.

Meanwhile, UNLV's newcomers got off to a confidence-inducing start. Shooting guard Jermaine Lewis nailed his first two 3-pointers and finished with eight points and six rebounds. Point guards Lafonte Johnson and Jevon Banks were also solid, combining for 11 points and seven assists.

The Rebels were hardly challenged after going ahead by as many as 15 in the first half. The margin never dipped below 12 and went as high as 21 three times.

Casey Grundman's 14 points led Northern Arizona, coached by ex-Bishop Gorman High coach Mike Adras.

"We got outworked tonight unfortunately," Adras said. "We didn't dictate the tempo."