Air Force gets its props from humble Rebel

There is a difference between learning something positive from a loss, he said, and using negative energy as the sole reason to get even.

The Rebels can look back on this basketball season with few regrets. One exception is a 65-53 loss they suffered at Air Force on Jan. 12.

Rougeau walked away from that game with respect for his opponent, and he hopes to reverse the scenario when UNLV hosts the Falcons at 7 p.m. today at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“I wouldn’t say this is revenge,” Rougeau said. “We try not to get into that because sometimes that can come back to haunt you. It’s another very important game.

“They really got us up there, so we need to send a message early and come out hard. We definitely have to be more physical and pop them first. We have to pop them back and earn their respect.”

The Rebels, 18-5 overall and 7-2 in the Mountain West Conference, are normally the aggressors. But that was not the case when they faced Air Force in early January.

The Falcons (12-10, 4-5) shot 62 percent from the field and senior guard Tim Anderson scored 27 points to exploit what was arguably UNLV’s worst performance of the season.

“They were physical and they knocked us around a little bit,” Rebels coach Lon Kruger said. “When they got us on our heels, we acted like there were seven guys out there.”

Rougeau said he and his teammates lost their composure and got emotional in the wrong way.

“When you get popped around a few times, after a while you start complaining. We got too much into worrying about the refs,” he said. “I guarantee they won’t be crying to the refs like we were up there.

“We need to be real physical and just play.”

Since the start of the Mountain West schedule, Rougeau has played at the highest level of his career, especially on the offensive end.

In 14 nonconference games, the 6-foot-6-inch swingman scored in double figures only twice. In nine league games, he has averaged 10.8 points while reaching double figures six times.

“Every time I’m out there, I really have to make the most of it,” said Rougeau, coming off a 17-point effort in Saturday’s victory over Colorado State. “I’m definitely looking to be more of a scorer now.”

Rougeau scored five points, his lowest output in Mountain West play, in UNLV’s loss at Air Force.

Known primarily for his defensive intensity and rebounding, Rougeau leads the conference in steals with 2.2 per game. But he is becoming more assertive on offense to give the Rebels an added dimension.

“I think Rene’s getting comfortable in his role,” said senior point guard Curtis Terry, the Mountain West assists leader with 4.8 per game. “Offensively, he’s getting some confidence going. He’s doing a great job finding holes in the defense and making shots.

“As long as he’s going to keep on doing that, it’s going to make our team even better.”

Whether he’s scoring or not, Rougeau sets the tone for UNLV with his hustle, something that he regrets was absent in the early loss to the Falcons.

“We feel like we didn’t give it our all in that game,” Rougeau said. “This is definitely a big game.”

But for the Rebels, it’s a game more about pride and respect.

“They just knocked us around and they outworked us,” Terry said. “We’re fired up to get another chance at them, but it’s not about revenge.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2907.