UNLV looking for success away from Thomas & Mack

Steve Addy

Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 12:40 p.m.

The Rebels have flown all the way across the country, so they might as well win the game.

Sounds reasonable enough, but so far they've had trouble putting that idea into practice.

After losing easily on their first two trips, with 13-point losses at Cincinnati and Washington, the Rebels will try again for a road victory Saturday when they visit Alabama-Birmingham in the Arby's Hardwood Classic.

To construct anything more than a mediocre season under new coach Charlie Spoonhour, the Rebels (3-2) know they must succeed away from the Thomas & Mack Center. But they'd rather not wait for the Mountain West season to claim their first road victory.

Opportunities are running out, though. After Saturday, UNLV has only one more road game -- at Loyola Marymount next Saturday night -- before its MWC road opener Jan. 7 at Air Force.

From a confidence standpoint, the sooner the Rebels win one on the road the better, especially because they played badly in so many areas at Cincinnati and Washington. They would like a happy flight home for a change.

"We think we can win on the road, but until we do, there is always going to be that doubt," sophomore guard Lafonte Johnson said. "As soon as we prove it to ourselves, I think we'll be OK. We'll be able to use that pattern in the future. Now is a good time to start that."

An opportune time as well, because UAB is 3-4 for its slowest start since going 2-5 in 1982-83. UNLV should match up well with the Blazers, who rely on their guards. Four of their top five scorers are 6-foot-5 or shorter, though center Will Campbell (6-8) has shown improvement.

"They've got really good athletes, and they're very strong -- a typical Conference USA team," Spoonhour said. "They take advantage of the things you don't do well. They'll probably try to throw the ball inside. If they force us to help inside, they have guards who can shoot it."

Sophomore guard Mo Finley, who missed last season because of a back injury, leads the club with a 14-point average off the bench, though he started the first four games. Guard P.J. Arnold supplies 13.4 per game, Campbell 10.4 and wing Myron Ransom 10.3.

Forward Eric Batchelor has averaged 13 points since becoming a starter three games ago.

Though the Blazers have won twice since coach Murry Bartow juggled his lineup, they have had trouble closing out games. Their losses have been by margins of 5 (twice), 2 and 1.

"The bottom line is we haven't finished," Bartow told the Birmingham News. "We still think we can be good. We're like a football team. We get in the red zone ... (but) we just haven't finished the way we need to. We're just not maxing out."