Learning from loss key for Rebels

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Dec. 23, 2002 | 10:10 a.m.

UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour gave his team a homework assignment for its three-day Christmas break following Saturday night's disappointing 77-66 loss to Stanford.

"We always say this: you need to inventory a little bit," Spoonhour said.

Inventory as in what you're doing right as a player as well as what you can improve on. And if Saturday's loss was any indication, there's plenty of room for growth for the Rebels.

"Losing this game is not bad if you learn something from it," Spoonhour said. "If you don't learn, if you go out of here saying we just had a bad night, then it doesn't do any good."

Stanford (7-3), which earlier this season advanced to the NIT final with upset wins of Xavier and Florida, exposed several key weaknesses for the Rebels (6-2).

The most noticeable was rebounding where the Cardinal had an almost unheard of 54-27 advantage. At times it appeared 6-foot-9 forward Justin Davis, 6-foot-8 sophomore swingman Josh Childress and burly 6-foot-10 center Rob Little were playing volleyball around the hoop. Stanford had almost as many offensive rebounds (21) as UNLV had total for the game (27).

Perhaps there should have been some warning signs going into the game in this regard when you consider that 6-foot-4, 200-pound swingman Jermaine Lewis came into the contest leading the team in rebounding with an 8.0 average.

"We just didn't box out like we were supposed to," 6-foot-8, 250-pound junior center J.K. Edwards, who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, said. "(Spoonhour) was on us all week to do that but we didn't do it."

It was a particularly tough night for 6-foot-10 senior forward Dalron Johnson, who grabbed just four rebounds in 35 minutes and suffered through a horrid 2-for-14 shooting performance. And no one took it harder than Johnson, who sat in front of his locker stall starring at the floor in somewhat of a daze about 15 minutes after the game had ended.

"You've got to look at all the great nights he's had for us," Spoonhour said, no doubt mindful just a week earlier Johnson saved the day for the Rebels with a game-winning 3-point basket in overtime at Bradley. "You're going to have those kinds of games."

"There's no practice for just being physically beaten out by guys," Johnson said. "I tried to do the best I can and throw my body around the best I could. I just didn't have enough for them tonight.

"We didn't expect to get outrebounded by (27). Even (5-foot-9 point guard) Jon Knoche could have thrown his body against some guys and stopped them from getting a couple of rebounds. That's no excuse for the front court. We're going to have to pick it up."

The backcourt, especially junior off guard Demetrius Hunter and Lewis, continue to struggle with their outside shot. The duo, both of whom sat out last season but were expected to provide plenty of offensive firepower this season, combined for just three points on 1-of-8 shooting. They were held scoreless for almost 34 minutes before Hunter finally hit a 3-pointer.

"They're going to have to find ways to contribute," Spoonhour said. "(Lewis) is rebounding the ball. ... Our two and three positions came up with just one basket."

If they don't start connecting outside, point guard Marcus Banks, who had another All-American caliber performance with 27 points (11-of-19 shooting), five steals and five assists, won't have many lanes to drive to the basket anymore.

"When (Banks) drives and turns the corner, it's a crowd now because we're not shooting the ball well enough on the perimeter to get anybody out on us," Spoonhour said.

One other area the Rebels need to improve in ... and fast ... is their intensity level at the start of games.

UNLV came out flat in its 91-74 loss at No. 23 Wisconsin on Dec. 7 but at least the Rebels had an excuse with a 9 a.m. PDT start in Madison. Saturday night against the 17th-ranked Cardinal, there was no excuse for getting outhustled by Mike Montgomery's squad, which played with much more of a sense of urgency at the start. Perhaps back-to-back home losses earlier in the week to Montana and Richmond had something to do with that.

"We went a full (first) half and didn't get a steal," Spoonhour said. "If we go a half and don't get a steal, the way we gamble and the way we play, then we're really in trouble.

"We got six (steals) in the second half. That gives you a tip off on how you're playing and how aggressive you're playing."

"We can't keep playing catch-up all the time," Hunter said. "We've got to find a way to stop playing that way. We've got to find a way to come out stronger."

Spoonhour believes the Rebels can learn a lot just by watching the team that beat them Saturday night.

"We just have to figure out now are we going to take a page out of Stanford's book," he said. "They lost a ballgame at home -- two as a matter of fact --- and they came back and dug their heels in and played."