One win shy of 2008 total, Lady Rebels aiming higher

It was early in the season, and UNLV women's basketball coach Kathy Olivier was fretting that her team's progress was occurring not by leaps, but mere baby steps.

Men's coach Lon Kruger ran into Olivier in the hallway and reminded the Lady Rebels' first-year coach that it takes more than a couple of weeks to build a program.

Kruger knows from experience, having needed three seasons to return the men's team to prominence.

For now, Olivier will have to settle for the gradual improvements that have carried the Lady Rebels to a 7-6 record heading into Mountain West Conference play.

Already one victory short of matching last season's total, UNLV visits MWC power New Mexico (11-2) for its conference opener at 6 p.m. today.

"I like the fact we have seven wins under our belt, but the more we coach this group, I feel expectations should be higher," Olivier said. "To be honest, I thought we could be 8-5 going into conference.

"I don't think we did a great job on the road (0-3), and it was kind of a wake-up call. It's going to take some time to get this thing going. I keep thinking we're there, and then we take steps backward. I need to be realistic and understand it's maybe going to take a little longer."

Olivier, a former UNLV All-American, returned to her alma mater after spending the past 15 seasons as UCLA's coach. She guided the Bruins to five NCAA Tournaments.

Though an NCAA berth for the Lady Rebels this season is unlikely, Olivier hopes to get them into the Women's National Invitation Tournament for the first time in three years. That would be a sign of tangible improvement.

But there are other indicators, too, beyond the fact that UNLV began conference play last season with a 4-9 record.

"We realized when we had bought (Olivier's philosophy), it was winning games," senior center Shamela Hampton said. "Our confidence level is way high this year."

Hampton, UNLV's top player, averages 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds and has seven double-doubles.

Freshman guard/forward Jamie Smith, Olivier's first signee, already is contributing. Smith, who chose UNLV over Utah, averages 10.9 points and 8.2 rebounds and probably will make her ninth consecutive start tonight.

Smith has seen the promise that followed the early uncertainty of players and coaches adjusting to one another.

"I think in the beginning nobody really expected us to come out and almost beat last year's record," she said.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.