Rebels make strong showing as non-league play wraps up

Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 | 9:15 a.m.

Free throws, interior defense and a penchant for allowing big leads to dissolve have plagued UNLV during stretches of its non-conference schedule.

Still, for being such a self-described worrier, Rebels coach Charlie Spoonhour finished looking at video tape of Brigham Young late Sunday afternoon and confided that he is pleased with the first third of the season.

That would be a non-league schedule in which UNLV went 11-2, although it still has one of those left against Southern California on network television Feb. 9. The middle third is the Mountain West Conference slate, which starts Thursday at BYU.

Then there's whatever postseason fate awaits the Rebels.

"I thought, or hoped, we would be a team that would play well together," Spoonhour said. "I think we've tried to do that. Even when we haven't shot well, I think we've tried to do things the right way. It's a good bunch to work with.

"Along those lines, you just hope that the team will continue to improve. That's the thing. We didn't want to come out, win a couple games early and that would be the best we'd be all year. We wanted to continue to be a better team."

Along the way, UNLV has had some close calls and tight victories, and Spoonhour acknowledged that he is satisfied with the way his second Rebels team has progressed.

Its only two defeats were to Wisconsin and Stanford, when those teams were ranked in the Associated Press poll.

"We've found ways to win games, which is always important," Spoonhour said. "Sometimes, you play well and don't win. We did the opposite. Sometimes we didn't play well and found a way to win. That's important. We found ways to win."

Three times in four games away from the Thomas & Mack Center, too.

"Road wins are hard to come by ... anywhere on the road," Spoonhour said. "I'm elated about that."

A groin injury has forced junior center J.K. Edwards on the daily watch list, and he netted only a rebound and two baskets in 14 minutes of Saturday's 75-70 road win over DePaul.

Edwards' status could affect UNLV's already-tenuous position under the boards. Reserves Omari Pearson and James Peters, who combined for 10 points and five boards at DePaul, are eager for more playing time.

Spoonhour admitted he has liked much of what he has seen over the last two games.

A week before beating the Blue Demons, the Rebels trounced Santa Clara, normally a very solid team under coach Dick Davey, at the Mack.

"That's the best part of it," Spoonhour said. "At least, in those two games, we did some things the way we thought we should. I think we're sharing the ball (better).We tried to do it all year, but we've been better at that. We're very unselfish.

"We're making good passes, and we started hitting some 3-point shots, not just by Marcus (Banks) or Dalron (Johnson), but Demetrius Hunter and Jermaine Lewis have picked it up."

Lewis nailed five of the nine 3-pointers he attempted against Santa Clara and DePaul, bumping his long-range touch to .265 on the season. "As far as with our guys, the thing we've tried to avoid is being too high about winning, if we happen to play well, or too low if we didn't play well," Spoonhour said. "You don't want this thing to be a roller-coaster ride.

"You want to be playing good ball through the end of the year, that's the idea. You want to be solid and give yourself a chance to win games. That's what you strive for."