UNLV looking to slow Utah’s Bradley

Steve Addy

Monday, Feb. 12, 2001 | 10:51 a.m.

So far, the Rebels have done a poor job of steering Kevin Bradley where they want him.

That is a trend they probably must reverse tonight to beat Utah at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Bradley, a junior point guard who spurned UNLV for Utah last spring, has led the Utes to three straight victories with a 17.3 average and hot 3-point shooting. Despite falling from the starting lineup last month, his modest 11.1 scoring average leads the team.

When Bradley made his recruiting trip to UNLV last spring at the Mountain West tournament, he watched the Rebels celebrate their championship and said he was strongly leaning toward UNLV. A month later, saying he feared NCAA sanctions against the Rebels, he opted for Utah.

In retrospect, Bradley was correct. UNLV was plunged into uncertainty in December when the NCAA levied four years probation, a postseason ban and other penalties against the Rebels.

Adding further insult, Bradley played a terrific game Jan. 13 when Utah beat UNLV 79-70 at Salt Lake City. He scored a team-high 14 points, making three 3-pointers and spinning around Lafonte Johnson for a nifty layup.

Now Bradley is on his best roll of the season. The 6-footer out of Compton CC has scored 15, 19 and 18 points off the bench in wins over Air Force, New Mexico and San Diego State. He shot 13-of-22 in that span, including 9-of-14 3-pointers, boosting him to 42 percent on 3s.

"If teams are going to give me open space, I'm going to shoot it," Bradley told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I think I can shoot pretty good, and they've got to have respect for me."

No question the Rebels respect him. They badly wanted to sign Bradley to take over for Mark Dickel, and his game against them validated their recruiting interest, fruitless though it was.

"I thought (Bradley) was going to come here, but he didn't, and now he's doing well for them," said Trevor Diggs, who will likely guard Bradley most of the way.

Bradley has also overcome a short-lived dispute with interim coach Dick Hunsaker about playing time. On Jan. 22, Bradley was benched for the second half at Colorado State, then played only seven minutes in the Utes' nationally televised loss at BYU.

Hunsaker said Bradley needed to play better defense. Rumors flew that Bradley had quit the team, but he stuck it out and took the blame.

"It was me. I wasn't working hard at practice. I was being lazy at times, playing nonchalant," Bradley said. "As long as I keep working hard, the problem will be solved. Coach just wants the best from me."

That resolution isn't good news for UNLV, nor is the early return of Utes power forward Chris Burgess from a fractured ankle. Tonight's game is much-needed for both clubs. Each is 14-9 overall, but Utah is 6-3 in the MWC and UNLV 5-3.

"Bradley is back in the good graces. I wish he wasn't," Rebels coach Max Good said. "They are a big team, but when Burgess went out, they changed their attack a little and now they're featuring their perimeter players."

Burgess was pegged to miss up to six weeks after hurting his ankle against UNLV, but he sat out only four games. He had two points and four rebounds in 21 minutes Saturday as the Utes beat San Diego State 76-63 for their first MWC road win in four tries.

UNLV is coming off two noteworthy victories -- 80-78 at Wyoming and Saturday's 68-56 home win over BYU after trailing by 16 in the first half. Lafonte Johnson, signed by the Rebels after Bradley chose Utah, scored a career-high 17 to fuel the comeback.

"Lafonte's getting better and better," Good said. "He broke his foot in April, and he's just now where we thought he'd be in October. Seven months is a lot to miss for a player whose game is predicated on quickness and speed."