Instant Analysis: UNLV’s early fight not enough to tap out Kansas

By Case Keefer (contact)

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 | 3:56 p.m.

I attended two sporting events, separated by some 1,300 miles, within the past 18 hours. It’s eerie how similarly they played out.

Both were fights, though only the first was billed as such. I jumped on a plane almost immediately after resolute underdog Daniel Cormier fell short of dethroning Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in a contest that was closer than the scores indicated. The destination was Allen Fieldhouse for UNLV’s afternoon tip against Kansas.

Who knew the Rebels packed just as hard of a punch? Like Cormier, UNLV was ultimately toppled in losing 76-61 to Kansas.

But it wasn’t before they got a few shots in. UNLV came at Kansas with reckless abandon, and at least for a little while, it looked like the biggest win in coach Dave Rice’s tenure was within reach.

Yes, Arizona is far better than Kansas. Nothing can discount the Rebels’ performance in that victory two weeks ago, but they were at the Thomas & Mack Center. And perhaps nothing can match the pure elation from the win over North Carolina at the Orleans in Rice’s first year.

Given the venue, however, this win would have differentiated itself. Consider Kansas coach Bill Self has celebrated more New Year's, 13, than moaned home losses, 13, since taking the job with the Jayhawks.

The Rebels had Self and his team bleeding at halftime. UNLV took a 33-29 lead into the locker room by bruising Kansas.

Goodluck Okonoboh, particularly, protected the rim like a fighter who never drops his hands. Okonoboh had five blocks as UNLV clobbered its way to an advantage in the paint.

He was also one of four Rebels who attacked Kansas’ customarily rigid interior defense with big dunks. UNLV was right in it despite a mediocre half from Christian Wood, who took a pair of ill-advised shots, and Patrick McCaw, who committed regrettable back-to-back turnovers.

A pregame video declared Kansas having “the best home-court advantage in the nation,” but UNLV put it to the test. They answered every strike with one of their own until 11 minutes remained in the game.

The Rebels were up 51-49 but couldn’t carry their intensity into what was akin to the championship rounds. Kansas went on a 14-2 run sparked by defensive intensity and transition offense to pull away.

UNLV has put itself in a position where it could use every win, but this isn’t a loss the Rebels should take too hard. They put up a spirited battle and will have a chance to win every conference game if they make opponents as uncomfortable as they did to Kansas in the first 30 minutes.

Here are a few more observations from UNLV’s second straight loss.

Findlay Prep report: Both teams’ success coincided with the best play from their freshmen stars from the Henderson powerhouse. Rashad Vaughn dug UNLV out of an early 13-4 deficit with two swished 3-pointers as part of a eight-point first half. He also played tight defense on former teammate Kelly Oubre, who shot 1-for-6 for three points in the first half. In the second, it flipped. Oubre found breathing room, knocking down his own pair of triples and finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The other former Pilot on the floor, Wood, was the MVP of the early second half. He knocked down three opened shots to keep UNLV in the game and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.

A look at the stat sheet: Turnovers and fast breaks were UNLV’s enemies. The Rebels only committed one more turnover than the Jayhawks, 12 to 11, but were outscored 20-6 in points off of turnover. They also couldn’t keep up with Kansas’ pace. The Jayhawks outscored the Rebels 19-4 on the fast break with the bulk of Kansas sophomore guard Frank Mason’s 18 points and seven assists coming on the run.

Up next: Revenge. Attainable revenge. UNR comes to the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night for the Rebels’ Mountain West Conference home opener. A 74-71 home loss to the Wolf Pack almost exactly a year ago was a low point in a season full of them. After strong-arming their in-state rivals for seven straight years, the Rebels lost both games in the 2014 series. They’re seemingly in a much better spot this season. And the Wolf Pack are down. Reno was on a seven-game losing streak, including a 24-point loss against Nebraska-Omaha at no-so-vaunted Ralston Arena, before a recent uptick in its last three contests. Expect UNLV to lay double digits — and perhaps extend their covering streak.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.