UNLV hoops notebook: One Rebel earns all-tournament honors

By Rob Miech (contact)

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008 | 2:09 a.m.

UNLV played host to the final rounds of a basketball tournament and had only one player on its all-tournament team.

Need any more information about how the Rebels fared?

Right, not very well.

UNLV (5-2) lost to California on Friday night and then was beaten by Cincinnati on Saturday in the Global Sports Classic.

Only Joe Darger, a senior power forward who drilled six 3-point shots against the Bearcats, was named to the all-GSC team.

Florida State guard Toney Douglas, a senior from Jonesboro, Ga., was named tournament MVP.

Douglas scored 28 points in an 80-77 victory over California on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center to lead the Seminoles to the title.

The finale was tough to watch, since officials Dave Hall, Scott Thornley and Mike Stuart called 54 fouls. The Seminoles and Golden Bears combined to attempt 66 free throws.

Florida State junior forward Ryan Reid also was somehow named to the tournament team after going 7-for-18 from the field, for 21 total points, in the Seminole’s two games here this weekend.

Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher were Cal players on the All-GSC squad, and Deonta Vaughn of Cincinnati was also named to the team.

Rounding it out were Thomas Coleman (North Carolina A&T), Anthony Breeze (Coastal Carolina), David DuBois (Western Illinois) and Emmanuel Jones (Texas-Pan American).

A busy day

Cincinnati guard Deonta Vaughn, a junior from Indianapolis, had quite a line against UNLV.

He went 5-for-19 from the field and wasn’t shy beyond the arc, where he missed nine of his 13 attempts. He finished with 16 points, four rebounds, six assists, seven turnovers and a steal in a game-high 36 minutes.

“We played with a lot of passion and toughness,” Vaughn said. “Even though I turned it over a lot tonight, we didn’t let that bother us. I didn’t let it bother me.”

That steal came with less than eight minutes remaining, as he snatched the ball away from UNLV senior guard Wink Adams near mid-court.

Vaughn pushed it up to freshman forward Yancy Gates, who converted a fastbreak layup to give Cincinnati a 52-46 advantage.

Vaughn had been defending Rebels sophomore point guard Tre’Von Willis when Adams drifted over to him.

“We knew the play. He brought the ball right to me,” Vaughn said. “I was able to out-man him and take it from him. We both pride ourselves on our toughness.”

No bounce this time

In the previous two seasons, UNLV was 12-1 after defeats. The Rebels lost 15 times over that stretch, but two ended their campaigns in the NCAA tournament.

So odds favored UNLV on Saturday against Cincinnati, after the Rebels lost to California on Friday, right? Wrong.

The 67-65 loss to the Bearcats dropped UNLV’s record after losses to 12-2 since 2006-07.

Dressing for success

Steve “Chopper” Jones, a walk-on transfer from Arizona State, walked off with the wardrobe award for a second consecutive evening.

Among the transfers, walk-ons and injured Rebels who do not play, Chop stood out with dark slacks, a blue dress shirt and blue tie.

Chace Stanback, who wore jeans for the second game in a row, has three victories, but Jones now has two. Matt Shaw is in the show position with one win.

Free throws

UNLV is winless in five games against Cincinnati … senior forward Rene Rougeau tied his career high by blocking four shots by the Bearcats … freshman guard Oscar Bellfield might have fallen a bit behind Willis in the point-guard pecking order. Bellfield played 15 minutes Saturday, missing two shots, grabbing three defensive boards and dishing out two assists … remember that UNLV bench that scored at least 30 points in two of those early games? The Rebels’ reserves tallied only seven points against Cincinnati. Bearcats second-stringers scored 39 points and had 28 rebounds … sophomore guard Kendall Wallace had a rough time Saturday. His 3-pointer from the right side hit the right side of the backboard near the end of the first half. In the second, his right foot touched the end line as he dribbled on the baseline.