Friday, Feb. 15, 2002 | 10:11 a.m.
WHAT: UNLV (14-8, 5-4) at Wyoming (16-5, 7-1)
WHEN: Saturday, 3:05 p.m.
WHERE: Arena-Auditorium, Laramie
TV: Channel 8
RADIO: KBAD 920-AM
The Rebels aren't spoiling for a wrestling match with Wyoming's large lineup when the teams play Saturday at Laramie. They would prefer to run right past the Cowboys, straight to the basket.
But if push comes to shove and shove comes to knockdown, UNLV might have a puncher's chance against the Mountain West leaders. Based on the Rebels' sudden ruggedness in wins over BYU and Utah, their fear factor has been reduced and their physicality has increased.
Since practice opened in October, coach Charlie Spoonhour has pleaded with his players to throw their weight around, disregarding that only one player in the rotation weighs over 210 (Omari Pearson, 220). Spoonhour wanted a tougher mind-set at every position, not just around the basket.
Less than two weeks ago, the coach was still pleading. After UNLV's overtime loss at New Mexico on Feb. 5, Spoonhour said his big men (relative term) were bounced around too easily late in the game when key rebounds were needed. "We better put sand in our pockets," he said.
In three games since, UNLV has delivered as many bruises as it has received. BYU center Eric Nielsen suffered a cut lip and had to exit late in the Rebels' 73-70 win on Feb. 9. Bodies were flying all over in Monday's 72-64 win over Utah, in which Rebels point guard Marcus Banks suffered a right ankle sprain. Florida International center Taurance Johnson was nearly KO'd in a collision in UNLV's 83-77 non-league victory Wednesday.
Maybe none of that will have any bearing against Wyoming's hefty front line, anchored by center Uche Nsonwu-Amadi (6-10, 260) and forward Josh Davis (6-8, 235). The rotation also includes forwards Ronell Mingo (6-9, 230), Ugo Udezue (6-8, 245) and Joe Ries (6-8, 225).
But partly because freshman center Lou Amundson (6-7, 205) is playing well under the rim against taller players, UNLV has begun to meet force with as much force as 200-pounders can muster.
"Earlier in the year, we were very soft. We were a soft team," Spoonhour said. "But we're better now. I guess it's a natural reaction that after you get bumped four or five times, you start looking to bump somebody else occasionally.
"When our defense picks up, we get more physical all the way around. It starts with our guards. When Marcus, JB (Jevon Banks) and (Vince) Booker get out and guard people tough, that gets our other guys jumping around, too."
It was Wyoming's guards who set the tempo in the Cowboys' 69-59 win over the Rebels on Jan. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Freshman point guard Jason Straight from Chicago scored a team-high 16 points and had six assists. But Davis (14 points) and Nsonwu-Amadi (10) got several layups, too.
"Their size was a problem, but we got in real trouble with their perimeter people driving the ball and our big guys helping," Spoonhour said. "They didn't throw the ball into the post as much as their guards penetrated and made some good interior passes."
Dalron Johnson, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave UNLV an 80-78 victory at Laramie last year, said the Rebels won't back down from Wyoming's size, but trying to muscle the Cowboys isn't necessarily the best path to victory.
"We'll throw everything at them, but we've got to stick to our strength -- our quickness, our ability to strip the ball and running the floor," he said. "We can't try to bang with them."
The Rebels' ability to push the ball likely won't be hindered by the sprained ankles of both Bankses. Though Marcus and Jevon Banks were held out of contact drills Thursday, they took part in the rest of practice and ran well. Both are probable, as long as neither suffers a setback prior to tipoff.
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