Rebels try to avoid trouble in paradise
Boarding a Sunday flight to Hawaii, UNLV coach Lon Kruger was not taking a lot of baggage with him, in the figurative sense at least.
He brought along a basketball team with one loss in 11 games. The nonconference season has been a relatively smooth trip for the Rebels to this point.
On the return from Honolulu, Kruger hopes to be packing a tournament trophy, and maybe a few new Hawaiian shirts.
UNLV could be considered the favorite to win the eight-team Diamond Head Classic, which tips off Tuesday and concludes on Christmas at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"It's more than just playing three games," Kruger said. "The tournament setting is a unique atmosphere, which is good. It's a different feel from the players' perspective. You're playing for a championship on Friday, and all eight teams go into it with a little different perspective."
The Rebels (10-1) are the lone ranked team in the field, at No. 23 in last week's USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll.
UNLV opens against Southern Methodist (4-3) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and will face either Hawaii (5-4) or College of Charleston (5-4) in the next round Wednesday.
The other half of the bracket comprises Saint Mary's (9-1), Southern California (5-4), Western Michigan (4-4) and Northeastern (2-5).
The teams will benefit from TV exposure, which has been rare for UNLV this season. In the inaugural year of the tournament, ESPN will nationally televise 10 of the 12 games on ESPNU and ESPN2.
With no games scheduled Thursday, Kruger said the team will use the time off to go sightseeing or attend the Hawaii Bowl football game between SMU and UNR.
This is the Rebels' first trip to Hawaii since Dec. 5, 2006, when they defeated the Warriors 61-58 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.
