THE ELEVATOR

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006 | 7:11 a.m.

Yeah, I know. One game does not make a season. But UNLV's 58-49 victory at 20th-ranked UNR on Saturday pretty much made the preseason, or whatever you want to call these tuneup games before the start of the Mountain West Conference campaign in January. So to commemorate the Rebels' big win, here's a special edition of The Elevator, which, for one day only, is only headed up.

GOING UP

Second fiddle

It's hard to believe UNLV has been playing dissonant harmonies to UNR's first violin in recent seasons, but it sure seemed like an old-time concerto on Saturday night. The victory was UNLV's first road win against a nationally ranked nonconference opponent in 15 years.

Perimeter defense

Considering the way the Rebels contested the entry pass against the Wolf Pack, you would have sworn they were Hindu gods with six arms and legs. UNLV challenged virtually every pass, every shot, every rebound. And every time Nick Fazekas sneezed, the Rebels said, "God bless you," and handed him a Kleenex.

Gasoel Anthonygue

Gaston Essengue and Joel Anthony proved once again that when it comes to wide bodies under the basket, two heads are often better than one. Their combined line at UNR: 39 minutes, 18 points (on 9-for-10 shooting), seven rebounds, six fouls.

Kevin Kruger

Maybe he left his jump shot in Wickenburg, Ariz., or somewhere else along U.S. 93 between Tempe and Las Vegas. But did you see how Son of Kruger got in Essengue's face when he made a stupid foul near the end of the game? Now I think I know what his old man was like as a player. The neat thing was that during the ensuing timeout, Kruger could be seen encouraging Essengue, showing a kindler, gentler side. Just like his old man.

Wendell White

While the fiery Kruger has become the Rebels' spiritual leader, White has assumed that role in the box score with his points and rebounds. In last week's impressive sweep at Hawaii and UNR, the lightweight forward (a big improvement over the heavyweight version we saw last year) had a combined 32 points and 20 rebounds to become UNLV's first Mountain West player of the week in two seasons.

Wink Adams

Despite building a 21-point lead early in the second half, the Rebels didn't get away from Virginia Street without a scare. UNR had clawed back to within six with 1:15 to go and Fazekas' sore ribs suddenly weren't aching as much and the fans wearing the flannel shirts who had filled Lawlor Events Center to capacity were going crazy. Then Adams froze them with a baseline icicle while drifting out of bounds.

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