Spoonhour: No dunking over goats

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002 | 9:06 a.m.

UNLV basketball coach Charlie Spoonhour will prohibit furniture, equipment and all animals from being used on the court at Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night at the team's annual Fan Jam.

Chris Richardson's high jinks became highly anticipated during his reign as the team's jam champ, and one bird's-eye view photograph of his leap over a chair landed in a national publication.

With Richardson's departure, senior forward Dalron Johnson might be the favorite to capture the dunking crown. However, he will have to do it without the use of any side-show help.

"The ball rack will be off-limits, too, and no goats," Spoonhour said. "No gimmicks. That stuff is all presumptuous, anyway."

Spoonhour has never been into style points, anyway. The Runnin' Rebels finished 21-11 last season, missing the NCAA Tournament when San Diego State beat them in the Mountain West Conference tournament title game.

The public gets its first chance to see Spoonhour's second UNLV team Wednesday.

"We'll practice that day, then we'll have some fun with this stuff," Spoonhour said. "It needs to be fun. It's a long season, but it doesn't need to be grind-and-bump. We need to have some fun.

"The scrimmage will get us playing before the crowd, so they won't have some coach standing by them and telling them everything. In that respect, we do get some good out of it. The fans need fun, and so do the players."

Admission to the Fan Jam is free and the doors to the arena will open at 6:30 p.m., with the Lady Rebels beginning the event with a 20-minute, scarlet-and-gray scrimmage at 7:30. They will also have a 3-point shooting contest.

The men's team will stage their own scrimmage at 8:30, immediately followed by the dunk contest.

Kids who wear costumes to the event will be able to trick-or-treat on the concourse level, where athletes from each UNLV sport will hand out candy and posters. Players from both teams will be available for autographs.

All available plaza and courtside seats for men's games, and season tickets for the women's games, will be marked accordingly and can be purchased at the Fan Jam. Season-ticket holders can pick up their tickets at the event.

The Rebels play an exhibition game at Thomas & Mack against Global Sports on Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., and they begin their season at home against Portland State on Nov. 24.

The Lady Rebels, under fifth-year coach Regina Miller, begin exhibition play against the West Coast All-Stars on Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Pavilion. Their season begins Nov. 23 at home against St. Mary's.