Men’s golf ties for 16th at regional, ending its season

The UNLV men's golf team, ranked No. 6 in the nation, saw its season come to an abrupt end Saturday at the NCAA West Regional in Tempe, Ariz.

Needing a top-10 finish to advance to the NCAA Championships, the Rebels shot 6 over par on the last three holes for a third-round total of 6-under 282, finishing tied for 16th at 20-under 844.

South Carolina, ranked 36th, won the regional at 44-under 820, with No. 4 UCLA two shots back. Wake Forest and East Tennessee State earned the final two spots at 25-under 839 -- a mark UNLV could have bested had it managed to par out over the last three holes.

Sophomore Seung-su Han led the Rebels, shooting 3-under 69 to tie for 30th at 8-under 208. Junior Jarred Texter (69) was a shot back, tied for 36th at 209, and no other Rebel shot under par Saturday.

Mountain West Conference rival New Mexico (31-under 833) finished eighth to advance, and Brigham Young finished just below the 10-team cutoff, tying for 12th at 23-under 841.

Benjamin Alvarado won the individual title at 18-under 198, helping Arizona State tie for third at 40-under 824.

• BASEBALL -- Kevin Smith hit three home runs, including a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth that lifted UNLV to a 13-12 Mountain West Conference victory over Air Force at Wilson Stadium.

In the Rebels' regular-season finale, Smith homered to center field with one out and two on to clinch the win.

Smith had a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo homer in the sixth, and he finished with six RBIs.

UNLV (22-34, 10-14 MWC) will be seeded sixth as it hosts the Mountain West Conference Tournament beginning Wednesday.