Adras enjoys another upset

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Dec. 19, 2003 | 10:15 a.m.

For Northern Arizona head coach Mike Adras, it was the kind of postgame question he probably never thought he would have to answer in his wildest dreams a little more than a year ago.

Which feels better ... beating UCLA at Pauley Pavilion or UNLV in the Thomas & Mack Center?

"For me personally, without a doubt, winning in Las Vegas and winning in this building," Adras said after the Lumberjacks (4-5) rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to stun UNLV, 74-73, on Thursday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. "For the guys, I don't think it is any different."

Just one year and one day after NAU shocked UCLA, 67-63, in famed Pauley Pavilion, Adras, a Las Vegas native who took part in four state championship teams as a player and coach at Bishop Gorman High School, found himself accepting postgame victory hugs and handshakes following another milestone win for a Big Sky Conference program.

"This is a good time of year for NAU basketball," Adras said with a chuckle. "We've got to keep scheduling games likes this around this time."

How about taking on Duke or Kansas next year?

"Yeah, maybe," Adras said. Then after a brief pause he shook his head, smiled and added, "No."

Adras gave credit to a couple of seniors, guard Kodiak Yazzie and forward Aaron Bond, for their roles in making the game-winning play. Yazzie drove the left baseline and found Bond alone in the front of basket where he put in a layup with 1.6 seconds left for the game-winner.

"I was mad at myself for the possession before that because I felt we should have run a certain play," Adras said referring to a possession that resulted in a shot clock violation with 19.8 seconds left. "I was kicking myself for that."

But the Lumberjacks, who had beaten just one other Division I team this year -- Cal State Fullerton -- got the ball back five seconds later for a second chance. Junior forward Stephen Garnett, who finished with a team-high 21 points, and Bond tied Rebels guard Demetrius Hunter up for a jump ball. The possession arrow was pointing to NAU.

"When the opportunity presented itself a few seconds later, I knew exactly what we wanted to do," Adras said. "Kody ... that was a senior driving and Aaron Bond did not stop on the play. He was there to tip it in. He didn't spectate. He finished the play out.

"No question this ranks right there with the UCLA win," Adras said. "The Big Sky isn't supposed to beat teams like this."