UNLV playing with the attitude that one more win is needed against Utah

By Ryan Greene

Thursday, March 11, 2010 | 2:15 a.m.

Last season, as UNLV got together to watch the NCAA tournament selection show after losing four of its last six games, it was a foregone conclusion for the Rebels not to get their hopes up too much.

Entering today's quarterfinal round of the Mountain West tournament, Lon Kruger's club has a chance to watch this year's selection show with the same definitive feeling, except from the other perspective.

While many experts seem to think that UNLV is in the field of 65 regardless of the outcome of their third meeting this season with Utah at 8:30 p.m. tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament, a win or two this weekend does nothing but cement things.

"I think we want to win the tournament and put ourselves in a position where we don't have to sweat it out," junior guard Tre'Von Willis said. "But in order to do that, we have to win Thursday. The team we play Thursday has beaten us both times, so we definitely know Thursday's game is the focal point right now."

The Rebels (23-7 overall, 11-5 MWC) enter the league tournament carrying an RPI of 48, a good load of quality wins on their résumé and a 7-3 record against teams in the RPI top-100.

Still, those numbers have yet to matter much to Utah (14-16, 7-9) this season.

In the first meeting — a 73-69 Utah triumph Jan. 16 at the Thomas & Mack Center — the Rebels were just 1-of-12 from 3-point range. Utah freshman guard Marshall Henderson alone hit five shots from deep, and 7-foot-3 sophomore center David Foster enjoyed a career night with 13 points, six rebounds and six blocks.

The next time around — a 66-61 Utes upset in Salt Lake City — the only Rebel to do much of anything was Willis, who scored 32 points but couldn't get his team over the hump at the end. Meanwhile, Utah junior Carlon Brown repeatedly punished UNLV by finishing off hard drives to the bucket.

"We knew him so well, and I don't know why guys wouldn't step in front of him and make him shoot a contested three or a long, contested jumper," Willis recalled. "Things like that are what we're going to be more focused on this time.

"I think that game was the turning point for us to become better as a team and to realize how much we've got to stay together. Everybody has to be on the same page as far as swarming around and sticking together."

Clearly, the Rebels got the message.

Against struggling opponents in their final four regular season games, Willis & Co. made a point of establishing themselves early on the defensive end, forcing a bevy of miscues and creating easy offense as a result of it.

UNLV went 4-0 after the second loss to Utah, winning by an average margin of 23.8 points and forcing 16.3 turnovers per game.

"Our guys have had good focus to open up the last few games, and we need to continue that," Kruger said.

The X-factor heading into the third meeting will be Utah's health.

Utah's injuries hit two of their four big men, as both Foster and 6-foot-11 senior forward Kim Tillie are questionable while nursing ankle sprains.

The Rebels have said going in that they're preparing as if both will play.

At the same time, UNLV is preparing as if this game will make or break its NCAA tournament fate.

Every little bit helps the Rebels separate themselves from the crowded pack on the proverbial bubble, which includes teams such as San Diego State, Illinois, Seton Hall and several others.

The Aztecs play in the day's second quarterfinal against Colorado State at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Should Steve Fisher's club advance, they'd face the winner of the noon game between top-seeded New Mexico and Air Force, which knocked off Wyoming in the opening round game on Wednesday at the Mack, 59-40.

The UNLV/Utah winner faces either TCU or BYU. The Horned Frogs and Cougars do battle at 6 p.m.

"Several teams are playing this one with the attitude that they need one more," Kruger said. "And if we get that one on Thursday, we'll play one on Friday with exactly the same attitude. I think that's the only healthy way to do it.

"Given our body of work, you feel good about where you're at, but (what I think) doesn't mean anything."

Note: For the Rebels, junior guard Derrick Jasper, who missed the final nine games of the regular season with a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, will be a game-time decision.

He practiced each day this week and could return to the floor in a small reserve role.