LOOKING IN ON: UNLV BASKETBALL

Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007 | 6:55 a.m.

The Runnin' Rebels have been transformed into the Blockin', Contestin' and Defendin' Rebels. They're winning and their growing fan base is getting more vocal by the game.

Fast breaks and dunks and triple digits on the scoreboard aren't the foundation of the program's success anymore.

UNLV improved to 23-6 overall, and 10-4 in the Mountain West Conference, by beating Air Force on Tuesday at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Rebels, as usual, did it with defense, holding the Falcons to a season-low 30.2 shooting percentage.

Hard hats have replaced high heels on Gucci Row.

In 1989-90 and '90-91, UNLV hit 100 in a game 30 times. This season, it hit triple figures once, against Norfolk State in December, and the crowd went bananas.

Kevin Kruger, the senior guard who left Arizona State to play his final season for his dad, Rebels coach Lon Kruger, said he quickly realized that UNLV fans are into 3-pointers and dunks.

"They still are, but they're good fans. They know their basketball," Kevin Kruger says. "When we get a shot-clock violation (on defense), you'd think someone just hit a half-court shot. When Joel (Anthony) or Gaston (Essengue) get a block, it's the same thing."

He reveals that Lon Kruger, the assistant coaches and the rest of the team don't "really worry" about offense.

"We have our scouting report, of what we want to do, and we go from there," he says. "We worry a lot about what other teams are doing and how we'll stop them from doing it."

Adjusting

Air Force hit seven of 17 3-point attempts in the first half Tuesday. Then UNLV buckled down, allowing the Falcons only four 3-pointers in 22 attempts in the second half.

"We wanted to make sure we went out and contested (shots), got a hand up," Kevin Kruger says. "It worked."

In the game's final minute, Rebels center Anthony contested a shot beyond the 3-point arc.

On an ESPN show a few years ago, Kruger watched legendary coach Pat Riley detail the drastic difference between opponents' shooting percentages when shots are contested versus when they're allowed to shoot freely.

"That's what we want to do," he says. "We want to make sure they know about us."

Spreading the wealth

UNLV has two more regular-season games and the Mountain West tournament to get its 24th victory. The Rebels last won that many games when they went 26-2 in 1991-92.

They are also destined for their first NCAA tournament since 2000. However, third-year coach Kruger wanted to spread the credit.

"It happens because you have good players and good people," he says. "They're unselfish. They want to do something that represents the fans and UNLV in a first-class way ... they make good decisions, on and off the court."

The Rebels have lost consecutive games only once this season.

"They keep things in perspective," Kruger says. "They've kept their heads on straight and played each one like it's important."

The Rebels also haven't won a game in the NCAA tournament since 1991, when they went to the Final Four. That's perspective.

Next up

UNLV plays at New Mexico on Wednesday and finishes the regular season at home at 6 p.m. on March 3 in a game in which Kruger hopes everyone wears white and is a sell-out, against Colorado State.

The Mountain West tournament is scheduled for March 6-10.