Threat of war has Spoonhour concerned about security issues

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, March 19, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

If the United States begins its war with Iraq today, tonight's NIT game between UNLV and Hawaii at the Thomas & Mack Center will go as scheduled, barring unforseen circumstances.

The NCAA announced Tuesday night that it planned to go on with its first and second round tournament games this weekend which begin on Thursday morning. However, that stance could change if there are terrorist attacks in the United States once the war starts.

"It would be a small price for us to pay if we have to miss a game," UNLV coach Chralie Spoonhour said.

"We need to think first and foremost about security. I'm serious when I say that because of being in a city like Las Vegas and also being so close to the airport. I know this is an area of heightened security, a lot more than if we were playing in Ames, Iowa, or someplace.

If it's mandated by the NCAA or the NIT that we shouldn't play, then that's what we should do. We should respect the people that are possibly in a life and death situation."

"We're trying to figure out when we're going to operate," Spoonhour said. "(Hunter) is going to come out (today) and see how it feels. If we can get a little bit of time out of him, that would be good. He's back at about 75 percent right now."

Hunter, the preseason Mountain West Conference newcomer of the year, has played sparingly the past two months of the season because of tendinitis in the Achilles'. He still ranks fifth on the squad in scoring with a 7.5 points per game average.

Hunter isn't the only Rebels guard hobbling. Backup guard Ernest Turner rolled an ankle in Tuesday's practice but returned to run sprints at the end and is expected to play tonight.

Wallace, whose daughter, Kimberly, lives in Las Vegas, was stopping in town on his way from a golf tournament in California to Provo for the Hawaii-BYU football game when he began suffering severe head pains. Subsequent tests at University Medical Center revealed the three blood clots near his brain.

"If I hadn't gone in the doctors said I would have died," he said.

Wallace spent more than a week in the hospital before finally being allowed to fly home.

"I feel fine now," he said. "If I yell too much I get a headache, but other than that I'm OK."