Excuse the Interjection

Friday, Dec. 16, 2005 | 8:30 a.m.

SHOULD UNLV CONSIDER HOME GAMES AT ALTERNATE SITES DURING THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO?

* With the National Finals Rodeo taking over the floor at the Thomas & Mack Center for two weekends every December, the Rebels are forced to travel to find basketball opponents. Or are they?

RON KANTOWSKI'S TAKE: If anybody was paying attention at Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Hawaii and Minnesota, the Rebels definitely need to find a home away from home during December. Now their won-loss record smells like their home floor.

JEFF HANEY'S TAKE: Sure, and with any number of fine venues just a long 3-pointer away from the T&M ... whoa. Time out. You're not suggesting the Rebels play basketball in a building attached to -- shudder! -- a casino?

RK: Yes, I am suggesting it, just to hear the NCAA Cro-Magnons once again explain the evils of playing basketball in the parking lot of a casino. We could all use a laugh after the Rebels' 0-4 road trip.

JH: Hey, that crack was very insulting ... to Cro-Magnons. Anyone with a half a brain should realize that college basketball's next gambling scandal will involve Las Vegas only tangentially, if that. All the sports betting action you can handle is just a mouse click away these days, as gambling continues to thrive on what Dave Barry perceptively calls "the prestigious Internet." In that context, where UNLV plays basketball is laughably irrelevant.

RK: But nobody should have to play in Stillwater, Okla., Corvallis, Ore., Honolulu and Minneapolis on the same road trip. Who's making UNLV's schedule? Continental Trailways?

JH: No, ideally during the NFR the Rebels would enjoy a short go-round at an alternate home court, whether it's at the Orleans, on the Strip or elsewhere. That setup works well in other cities. Four of Philadelphia's Big 5, for instance, traditionally play home games at the Palestra as well as on their own campuses.

RK: Next week, Cincinnati and LSU will play in a tournament at Valley High. And I hear they are building a basketball palace in lieu of a gym at Bishop Gorman. The Rebels oughta just call "Next."

JH: Until NCAA regulators wake up, perhaps a high school venue would be the UNLV basketball program's best bet. So to speak.

Ron Kantowski and Jeff Haney are not related to Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. You can reach Kantowski at 259-4088 or at ron@lasvegassun.com and Haney at 259-4041 or at haney@lasvegassun.com.