Cougars’ Whiting runs all over Rebels

Steve Addy

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2001 | 10:14 a.m.

PROVO, Utah -- With five minutes left in UNLV's 91-63 loss to BYU on Monday night, Rebels coach Max Good bellowed, "Who's guarding 21?"

We're not sure, but it might have been a rhetorical question, because practically every Rebel had trouble trying to stop BYU's No. 21, senior guard Trent Whiting.

A transfer from Utah, where he bristled under coach Rick Majerus, Whiting has given the Cougars a backcourt boost since becoming eligible Dec. 16. He has scored in double-figures in all 10 games (all starts) and raised his average to 16.3 with a career-high 26 against UNLV.

BYU was already well-stocked at guard with Terrell Lyday, last year's Mountain West newcomer of the year, who pumped his average to 16.0 with 23 against the Rebels.

But Whiting was Monday's star, making 10-of-15 shots from seemingly every area of the court. He made 3-pointers on the run and off halfcourt sets, and layups on the break and off post-ups.

"Whiting was really good. We didn't expect that," UNLV guard Trevor Diggs said. "They set a lot of screens and good picks for each other."

Whiting scored 17 in the first half to help BYU take a 19-point lead. He scurried around Jevon Banks for a baseline layup with 43 seconds left in the half, then hit a 3-pointer 19 seconds later.

Things went so well for Whiting, in the second half he stepped back and nailed a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired, putting BYU ahead by 28 with 3:37 to play.

"Whiting is really good," Good said. "Whiting and Lyday both hurt you from outside, but they can get to the hole, too. Whiting has serious rise, he's athletic and obviously he can shoot." BYU coach Steve Cleveland said, "Trent's play tonight was phenomenal."