Double their fun

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004 | 9:19 a.m.

UNLV forward Odartey Blankson had just been informed by a reporter that he had broken the Mountain West Conference single-season record for double-doubles with his 16th of the year in Monday night's 95-80 victory against Wyoming at the Thomas & Mack Center.

A 6-foot-7 junior, Blankson finished with 26 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. He greeted the news with a smile and a shrug.

"The roll we're on means a lot more to me," Blankson said. "I love winning. When we win, everybody feels good. And that's what it is all about right now at this point of the season."

Indeed, after winning their third consecutive game in a style very reminiscent of the runnin' and dunkin' and 3-point shootin' Rebels of old, there were plenty of smiles in the UNLV locker room.

None was bigger than the one on junior forward Romel Beck, who tied a career-high with 26 points and ignited a 26-5 run in the second half with four long 3-pointers and another 3-point play in the span of just 5 1/2 minutes to give UNLV a 75-53 lead. The Cowboys (10-15, 3-9) never got any closer than 15 points after that.

"The last couple of games I've definitely been feeling it, especially when you have confidence like that from Coach Jay (Spoonhour) who tells you to just shoot the ball," Beck said. "That's big.

"We're just out there having fun. And when you're having fun you're more relaxed and good things happen. You're happy and you play harder."

"He's really, really shooting it from 3," Spoonhour said of Beck. "And the best thing was we set screens for him. J.K. (Edwards) did a great job screening. And O-dot (Blankson) did a good job of screening, too."

Edwards (15 points, 13 rebounds) and junior point guard Jerel Blassingame (12 points, 13 assists) also had double-doubles for the Rebels (15-9, 6-5), who moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Mountain West Conference and stayed well within striking distance of second place Utah (8-4) and BYU (8-4).

Blankson broke the MWC record of 15 double-doubles set by former Rebel Kaspars Kambala in the 1999-2000 season. Only UConn center Emeka Okafor (17) has more in the nation this season.

"The hardest thing to do in sports I think is be consistent," Spoonhour said. "Consistent with your effort. Consistent with your attitude. Consistent with your performance. And that's the best thing (Blankson) does.

"He is a consistent guy. He is consistent with everything. He works really hard in practice. And he's performing consistently (in games). And his attitude has been great."

"I just go out there and play," Blankson said. "I got a couple of rebounds and my teammates did a good job of looking up and finding me."

Now comes the tough part.

Beating San Diego State, Colorado State and Wyoming at home is one thing. Going on the road this weekend to face first place Air Force, which is a perfect 11-0 at home this year, and then The Pit in Albuquerque to play New Mexico is quite a different challenge for a revitalized Rebel squad.

"If we come out and stay focused and crash the boards and hit guys when they're open, I think we'll be fine," Blankson said.