Lewis, Banks help hold off pesky Falcons

the numbers

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003 | 10:02 a.m.

First Half: UNLV 37-32

The Man: UNLV senior guard Jermaine Lewis scored 15 points, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

Turning Point: Lewis connected on two treys in a 19-second span to give UNLV a 18-16 lead and help ignite a 17-5 Rebel run.

Game within the game: Air Force came out smoking, connecting on its first seven shots, including five from 3-point range. The Falcons' first miss was a 3-pointer by forward A.J. Kuhle with 9:14 left in the half.

Second Half: UNLV 74-70

The Man: UNLV point guard Marcus Banks scored 19 of his game-high 31 points in the second half, including two big 3-point plays in the final 3:44 that kept the Rebels ahead by six points.

Turning Point: After Dalron Johnson bumped UNLV's lead to four points, 71-67, with a pair of free throws with 18.9 seconds left, guard Demetrius Hunter deflected a 3-point attempt by Air Force guard Antoine Hood and Johnson got the loose ball and was fouled with 5.5 seconds remaining. Johnson sank both free throws to put UNLV up 73-67 and seal the win.

Game within the game: Air Force guard Tim Keller picked up his fourth foul early in the half and played just nine minutes after intermission. He still finished with 21 points, including 5 of 6 3-pointers.