Columnist Dean Juipe: Rebels had the right formula against Air Force

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

This shocking news just in: Air Force has lost its stealth capabilities.

No more defying radar and sneaking up on an opponent.

No more quietly completing a mission.

No more coming from out of nowhere to achieve goals under the cover of darkness.

No more swooping in unexpectedly and picking off the prize.

Everything reported here is true. The Air Force men's basketball team has been exposed.

And UNLV gets the credit, or blame, depending on your perspective.

Disabling the Air Force machine as it enjoyed a 13-game winning streak and sat poised on the brink of the nation's top-25 polls, the Rebels recovered from a poor start to play a second consecutive exceptional game in defeating the Falcons 63-50 Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. Just as Air Force began to enjoy its glistening record and national attention, it was UNLV that unveiled the Falcons' weak points, if not holes in its armament.

The last-place team in the Mountain West last season and the predicted last-place team in the conference again this season, the Falcons have, instead, sat atop the league standings and steadily collected both poll and lay supporters. Running a unique, Naismithian offense and rewriting the book on proper technique in all aspects of play, Air Force came to Las Vegas not only 15-2 but leading the nation in fewest points allowed per game.

But while it leaves town still ahead in the MWC at 5-1, the outcome of this briskly paced game heralds not only Air Force's vulnerability but UNLV's renewed promise. The Rebels, 3-3 and 12-6, are back in business.

How to beat a team that is disciplined, scientific, deceptive and generally a pleasure to watch? Well, the Rebels came up with the formula.

Most important, they got in the Falcons' passing lanes. They clutched, they grabbed, they leaped for the ball as Air Force threw it around the perimeter in its ever-patient manner. They prevented the clinic that the Falcons generally showcase every time they play.

The Rebels also outrebounded the Falcons and outshot them. A key for Air Force has not only been habitually killing the clock and moving the ball, but hitting the open shot and rebounding the ball when it didn't go in.

But UNLV didn't allow those elements to fall into place as the Falcons had hoped and had come to expect in defeating 15 previous opponents by an average of 16 points per game. Maybe the Falcons were a bit road weary after playing Saturday at San Diego State and playing their fourth road game of the young conference season, but UNLV's "prevent" defense -- prevent the back-door pass and cuts and prevent the Falcons from rebounding their misses -- led to a badly needed victory that bolstered the home crowd's sometimes waning faith.

Despite falling behind 11-2 to open the game, the Rebels regained control with 14 consecutive points and never trailed thereafter. Air Force would occasionally pull close -- a scoring drought in excess of five minutes certainly hurt UNLV midway through the second half -- but the Falcons would inevitably sputter and fall back behind by double digits.

Each team had an interesting streak come into play: UNLV kept its record perfect, at 10-0, when holding an opponent under 70 points; and Air Force was defeated for the first time this season when scoring at least 50 points.

The Rebels won not because they beat the Falcons at their own game, but because they compromised on the crucials. They ran when they could, they slowed it up when they had to and they hit the boards with unfailing accuracy.

They showed their Mountain West colleagues -- and the nation on an ESPN telecast -- that Air Force could be beaten. They unmasked the fearsome beast.