UNLV faces fifth game in 10 days

Steve Addy

Monday, Feb. 18, 2002 | 10:13 a.m.

WHAT: UNLV (14-9, 5-5 MWC) at Colorado State (10-14, 1-8)

WHEN: Today, 6:05 p.m.

WHERE: Moby Arena

TV: Las Vegas ONE (Ch. 1 and 39)

RADIO: KBAD 920-AM

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- As the Rebels filed to the bus after Saturday's last-minute loss at Wyoming, they didn't lift their heads to acknowledge a bright plastic sign mounted strategically at eye level.

In the hallway outside the visitors' locker room at the Arena-Auditorium, the sign mockingly posed this question: "Elevation 7,220 feet -- How's Your Oxygen?"

By then the answer was as obvious as it was moot, because the Rebels had been breathing hard since early in the game. They played stoutly for 40 minutes, but after the first-place Cowboys stuck them with an 82-78 defeat, UNLV's players could barely draw enough thin air to drag themselves up the tunnel.

After their fourth game in eight days, the Rebels didn't look like they would have enough energy for their fifth in 10 days, tonight's game at last-place Colorado State. Seeing guards Marcus Banks and Jevon Banks limp away on sprained right ankles only added to UNLV's weary demeanor.

But almost to a man, the Rebels (14-9, 5-5 MWC) vowed that the loss in Laramie won't hinder them physically or mentally against the Rams (10-14, 1-8).

"I guess losing makes you feel more tired, but I'm not concerned about us being ready," guard Vince Booker said. "We fought hard and put ourselves in position to win. I think we'll come back all right."

"We were gasping for air, but we played through it," said forward Dalron Johnson, whose 17 points marked his 18th straight game in double figures. "It shouldn't be as tough against Colorado State, because they don't have as many big guys as Wyoming. All that banging takes a lot out of you."

To avoid draining his players, coach Charlie Spoonhour subbed frequently and didn't employ a fullcourt press until the final three minutes after UNLV had cut Wyoming's 10-point lead to 71-69. The strategy almost worked, as the Rebels forced two turnovers in the last 30 seconds and had a chance to tie, but Lafonte Johnson missed a layup and Lou Kelly's tip wouldn't fall.

"We had some tired fellows out there, and we were looking for a good time to (press)," Spoonhour said. "Maybe we should've done it the whole game, but we did all right with it. We gave ourselves a chance to tie or win on the road, and in our league that's pretty good."

"Coach was trying to help us by holding off on the press," Marcus Banks said. "We might have gone to it a tad late, but coach was thinking of my ankle, Jevon's ankle, and us having to play on Monday. But we're all Division I players. We have to suck it up and play."

Banks scored a team-high 22 points in 33 minutes and said his ankle won't keep him from playing tonight. Jevon Banks reinjured his ankle in the final minute and his availability will be a game-time decision.

It will be the Rebels' final road game, barring postseason play. They close out at home against San Diego State (Saturday), Air Force (Feb. 28) and New Mexico (March 2), and host the Mountain West tournament March 7-9.

The Rebels will be facing a woeful Colorado State team that fell two games into the cellar with Saturday's 75-63 home loss to San Diego State. The Rams have lost five of their last six games and eight of 10, including a 75-68 loss at UNLV in the team's first meeting Jan. 21.

Forward Brian Greene leads CSU in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (7.5), but has been fighting a cold for the last week, along with three others in the rotation who missed practice time leading up to San Diego State.