Kruger sees rodeo trip as a chance to grow

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004 | 10:01 a.m.

THE GAME: UNLV vs. California.

WHEN: Tonight, 8.

WHERE: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, Calif.

TV: None.

RADIO: 920-AM.

STORY LINE: Rebels start their annual rodeo trip at Cal. They won't be back at the Thomas & Mack until Dec. 18.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Growing up in the small country town of Silver Lake, Kan., UNLV men's basketball coach Lon Kruger became well acquainted with rodeos.

"My wife actually rode competively in high school," Kruger said. "She rode barrels and poles and showed. ... I grew up in the country but I was never involved in anything real seriously. I enjoy watching it, though."

So don't look for Kruger to whine or complain about the fact that his Rebels basketball squad must hit the road the next two weeks to make way for the annual National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Rebels (1-1) kick off their sojourn tonight here against Cal (3-1) at the Haas Pavilion. They travel to Nevada-Reno on Saturday night, play at Pepperdine next Wednesday and conclude their road trip with a game at SEC power Auburn on Dec. 12.

"This will make us grow up quicker," Kruger said. "This will toughen us up.

"I think going on the road, especially four (games) in a row, gives us a chance to kind of toughen up a little bit. When you're on the road it's kind of an 'us-against-the-world' type of type of mentality. And I think that will help us grow and make progress as a group."

Senior Odartey Blankson said: "When you're on the road, you are all you've got, your team. You need to focus and concentrate on the game."

Cal, despite playing without star forward Leon Powe (knee) and three other key players, caught UNLV's attention by going into Provo and snapping BYU's 18-game home win streak on Saturday, 67-64.

The Bears outrebounded the Cougars, 45-39, and had 18 offensive rebounds in the game. DeVon Hardin, a 6-foot-10 freshman forward subbing for injured guard Ayinde Ubaka, led the way with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

"They're a good team," Kruger said. "Not many people win in Provo, so that says a lot. They're active and aggressive on the boards. Rebounding is going to be a big key. They had 18 offensive boards against BYU and that played a big part in their win."

Kruger said he will make two changes to his starting lineup tonight, moving 6-foot-9 forward Dustin Villepigue, who had 16 points and seven rebounds in Friday night's win against Oregon State, into Joel Anthony's center spot and starting senior shooting guard Romel Beck ahead of sophomore Michael Umeh for the first time this season.

"We've said all along we have seven guys who deserve to start," Kruger said. "We'll probably be mixing and matching (the starting lineup) all year long."