Rebels want to settle the score vs. Cougars

Steve Addy

Friday, Feb. 9, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

Who: BYU at Rebels

When: Noon, Saturday

Where: Thomas & Mack Center

TV: KBFT Ch.(6)

Radio: KBAD, 920 AM

After a thorough investigation, we've discovered that wasn't really the Rebels who lost at BYU by 28 points last month.

Haven't you heard? It seems that Max Good's club was replaced that night by imposters from college basketball's Bizarro universe. They were wearing UNLV's familiar red jerseys, but those weren't the Rebels.

Implausible? Sure, but it's as logical as any explanation the Rebels can offer for their 91-63 defeat on Jan. 15, their worst blowout of the season.

The night began with word that AD Charlie Cavagnaro was heading to Miami to see Rick Pitino and the Rebels falling behind 10-0. It ended with Kaspars Kambala sulking on the bench and Trevor Diggs rapping him in the newspaper. Not the sort of face you want to present on national TV.

But after their rousing win Monday at Wyoming, the Rebels are learning that teamwork and redemption feel pretty good, and they'll get their second chance against Brigham Young at noon Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

UNLV is eager to blot out the memory of the No-Show in Provo.

"For some reason, we just weren't into that game," senior Danny Brotherson said. "It wasn't the off-court stuff as much as we didn't play well. BYU got it going and there's no question we were sluggish. It didn't help that we were coming off the Utah game that we should've won.

"It's going to be a different story Saturday. We are at home now, and we have to defend our home court. Our goal is to not lose any more home games. We have only lost one (Cincinnati), and we want it to be the only one."

BYU coach Steve Cleveland, whose club has been idle since last Saturday, agrees that pretty much everything went wrong for the Rebels in the first meeting, and his Cougars can't bank on that again.

"That game was not indicative of how good UNLV is," Cleveland said. "That was a pretty turbulent time for them. They were going through some struggles and challenges. The (Pitino) rumor mill was happening, and it was evident it wasn't the same team. But that game was an aberration.

"They just got a real shot in the arm (at Wyoming). That's their biggest win of the year. They are a team that plays much better at home. We'll have to be at our best to have any hope of winning there."

The Rebels (13-9, 4-3 MWC) know something about getting well against BYU (16-6, 5-2) at home. Last season, UNLV dropped both regular-season games to the Cougars, but dominated them in the MWC tournament championship here, bolting to a 26-2 lead en route to a 79-56 win.

Though UNLV played poorly on both ends in the first meeting this season, Good is stressing an improved defensive effort Saturday. The Rebels let BYU guards Trent Whiting and Terrell Lyday run wild, allowing them a combined 49 points on 16-of-28 shooting. Each made three 3-pointers.

"We've got to execute better defensively," Good said. "Their guards really got confident last time. As much as they hurt us in the halfcourt, they really hurt us in transition with 3-pointers. Both of them have the green light in transition. I haven't seen that (from BYU) in the past."

Whiting, a transfer from Utah, was especially impressive with 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting. His quick first step had UNLV's guards chasing shadows all night. Whiting averages 14.9 points, has hit 41 percent of his 3-pointers and leads the MWC with 2.29 steals a game.

"The way Whiting is playing, it has to bother Utah," Good said. "(His transfer) was a real gain for BYU and a loss for Utah. It would be the same thing for us if Jermaine Lewis had gone to New Mexico (the Lobos recruited him). Not only would it have helped New Mexico, it would have hurt us."