Duly Noted

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006 | 8:27 a.m.

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(KINDA) PACK THE MACK

While Saturday's "Pack the Mack" promotion didn't quite achieve the goal -- 13,365 were on hand in a building that seats 18,500 -- there were a few extra thousand in the cheap seats that resulted in a big-time college basketball atmosphere for UNLV's 67-56 victory against New Mexico.

But not as big time, I might point out, as the "Pack the Pit" promotion in Albuquerque that very same evening for the women's game between the schools. A throng of 17,057 watched the 18th-ranked Lady Lobos whip the Lady Rebels 60-47 in the basketball-mad Duke City.

The idea of discounting balcony tickets to $5 is such a good idea that it makes you wonder why UNLV doesn't do it for every game, if that's what it takes to put some warm bodies in the nosebleed sections.

But if you're not going to do it every game, you might want to wait for a game that isn't on live TV, as Saturday's was. While $5 is a great deal, it's not as great as free on your living room sofa.

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HENRY STEELE LIVES!

Several of us sitting in the auxiliary press section Saturday were stunned by the modest appearance of New Mexico's Lobos, who usually have a potential NBA player in the starting five. Not this year.

In fact, some of the Lobos' role players, such as Ryan Kersten, a 6-foot-1 guard from Australia, looked like they just walked off the set of "That '70s Show."

"He's got that Billy Paultz haircut," said one of the TV guys, noting Kersten's bangs and flowing mane that recalled the former San Antonio Spurs' big man.

Although Kersten didn't look like much, he was instrumental in New Mexico's second-half rally, capping a length-of-the-floor drive with a sweet reverse layup.

It had to be the best move by a guy with a funky haircut since Robby Benson in "One on One."

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NAME THAT MWC ARENA

Speaking of Henry Steele (Benson's character in the aforementioned 1977 movie): The wise guys on press row had no trouble recalling who played his girlfriend (Annette O'Toole) or the instrument his coach threatened to attach to the end of his scholarship (a red-hot poker). But they were stumped when asked to identify which Mountain West campus and arena served as the backdrop for fictional Western University.

It was Colorado State, with the basketball sequences being shot at Moby Gym (now Moby Arena).

It should be noted that no animals were harmed during the filming of the movie, although the sensibility of the audience took a pretty serious blow.

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NOT SO RED HOT

Today's Dennis Rodman news flash (you know, totally absurd):

Someone has bid $10,169.69 on e-Bay for a hot dog that was purchased during the third quarter of the Seattle Seahawks' NFC championship game victory against Carolina.

The ad says "this dog could be an addition to anyone's collection of oddities."

Or lunch on Super Bowl Sunday.

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6

The number of touchdown passes thrown by former Gladiators quarterback Clint Dolezel in the Dallas Desperados' 58-44 Arena Football League season-opening victory.

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50-13

The career tennis record of UNLV sophomore Elena Gantcheva, who has achieved 50 wins faster than anybody in UNLV history.

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5:03

The length of New Mexico's scoring drought at the end of Saturday's 67-56 loss to UNLV.

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