Rebels overcome BYU, 68-56

Steve Addy

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2001 | 3:53 a.m.

No way, the Rebels said, BYU isn't going to embarrass us again. Then they started doing something about it.

Instead of meekly submitting to another blowout by the Cougars after falling behind by 16 twice in the first half Saturday, UNLV drew a defensive line in the sand and dared BYU to cross it.

The Rebels' 30-minute clamp-down was the crucial reason for their 68-56 Mountain West victory before about 9,000 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Amazingly, after giving up 10 baskets in the opening 9:20 as BYU took a 28-12 lead, the Rebels allowed only eight baskets for the remaining 30:40. They held the Cougars to 7-of-26 shooting in the second half.

The win boosted UNLV to 5-3 in the MWC and 14-9 overall. BYU is 5-3, 16-7.

The key to UNLV's victory was fine guard play and blocked shots. Freshman Lafonte Johnson had a career-high 17 points and Trevor Diggs also scored 17, but both played excellent defense against BYU gunners Trent Whiting and Terrell Lyday.

In the Cougars' 91-63 rout of UNLV on Jan. 15 at Provo, Whiting scored 26 and Lyday 23, and the duo combined for 16-of-28 shooting. It is the Rebels' biggest losing margin of the season.

But Saturday, Johnson didn't allow Whiting many open shots, and the BYU guard went 2-of-11. His 35-foot airball in the final minute capped his poor shooting day.

"With Whiting, I just wanted to stay between him and the basket," Johnson said after his best game as a Rebel.

Though Lyday scored 14, Diggs never allowed him to dominate UNLV as he usually does. Lyday shot 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-4 on 3-pointers, missing his last three from the arc.

"You know that game (at Provo) was embarrassing for us," Diggs said. "After we got behind, I was saying we can't let that happen again. Everyone stayed focused and played great defense."

Whenever a BYU player had an alley to the basket, it seemed a Rebel would bolt in from the weak side to block his shot. Though UNLV was helped by some open misses by BYU, the Rebels contested most every shot and finished with nine blocks, with three by Kaspars Kambala.

Midway through the first half, it looked like BYU was going to pound the Rebels again. But once UNLV's defense perked up, it was really a rout for the Rebels. They outscored BYU 56-28 for the final 30 minutes.

UNLV finished the first half with a 17-3 spurt to pull within 33-31, the closest the Rebels had been since leading 6-4. Then after BYU began the second half with a 7-0 run, UNLV put on a 20-3 burst to go ahead 51-43 with 8:40 to play. The Rebels led by at least five the rest of the way.

The pivotal play for UNLV was a seven-point swing with 9:43 left.

The Rebels had finally tied it 42-42 when Dalron Johnson came from behind to block a sure layup by Nate Knight. UNLV took off in transition and Diggs swished a triple from the right wing. BYU coach Steve Cleveland got a technical on the play, and Diggs' two free throws made it 47-42.

During UNLV's 20-3 run, BYU was held to one basket basket in a span of 11:03.

Kambala had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Rebels, though he had a rough shooting day in the paint (3-of-11) and at the foul line (7-of-14). Dalron Johnson scored 10.

Danny Brotherson also had his second good game in a row. He supplied seven points, three steals, two blocks and four assists in 30 minutes.

Mekeli Wesley led BYU with 17 points, but wasn't a factor after getting his third and fourth fouls within 40 seconds midway in the second half. He had only one point in the final 16 minutes.

UNLV hosts Utah at 9 p.m. Monday on ESPN.

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