RANKING THE REBELS: 23 – “Sudden” Sam Smith

Years: 1975 to 1977

Career highlights:

■ Starred on the “Hardway Eight” team that went 29-3 and reached UNLV’s first NCAA Final Four in 1977.

■ Scored 943 points in 60 games for a career average of 15.7.

■ Averaged 16.6 points and had a team-high 73 steals in 1975-76, when the Rebels went 29-2 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Quotable: “I know the 1990 team couldn’t beat us. We had more athletes and more shooters on the ’77 team. We were running, man.” — Smith

Currently: Trains youth basketball players and volunteers at a Las Vegas YMCA. Has a daughter, Rashonda, and a son, Jahmon, who plays for coach Jay Spoonhour at Moberly (Mo.) Community College.