Rebels set speedy pace in easy win

Running the floor and firing 3-pointers, UNLV has no plans of being a boring basketball team. If junior guard Wink Adams is right, expect the season to become a wild ride.

"We'll be a fun team to watch," Adams said. "Forty minutes of hell, you can say that. It's got to be like that if we're going to win games.

"We'll play defense for all 40 minutes, get fast-break points off steals and try to outrun a lot of teams."

UNLV had no problem running over Division II Dixie State in a 97-66 victory Tuesday at the Thomas & Mack Center. The teams were similar only in that they both lacked size and shared the nickname Rebels.

It might be a totally different story when UNLV (2-0) steps up to challenge bigger and more talented opponents such as Louisville and Arizona.

But for the present, UNLV coach Lon Kruger is pleased with what he sees from a young team eager to apply full-court pressure on defense and compete with intensity.

"I especially like the fact that we were on the attack all the time," Kruger said.

Junior forward Joe Darger scored a career-high 19 points for UNLV, which took a 10-point lead five minutes into the game and extended it to 46-23 at halftime.

Darger hit two 3-pointers and made his presence felt inside with eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Adams scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half. He made 3 of 8 3-pointers as UNLV shot 11-for-34 from long range.

"We're certainly not shy about shooting 3-pointers," Kruger said. "The majority of them I thought were good shots. We've still got to throw the ball inside more."

Three days after starting center Emmanuel Adeife was dismissed from the team for complaining about his playing time, UNLV put a smaller lineup on the floor with 6-foot-8-inch Matt Shaw at center.

And three minutes into his first career start, Shaw spotted up from 20 feet and knocked down a 3-pointer.

Shaw finished with five points and three rebounds in only 12 minutes. It was not a positive sign that Shaw, battling inside against a Dixie State team with no dominant big man, picked up his fourth foul with 8:25 remaining.

While Shaw was sitting, Kruger used the 6-7 Darger, 6-8 Lamar Roberson and 6-6 Rene Rougeau in the post.

Another bad sign for UNLV was getting outrebounded 19-18 in the first half.

"I wouldn't really say we're concerned," Darger said of UNLV's size deficiency. "I think we've got to make other teams concerned about us. With me and Matt stepping out to shoot it, we'll make their big guys come out and guard us."

Dixie State's three biggest players -- 6-7 Troy Randall, 6-7 Kasey Winters and 6-4 Ryan Sanchez -- combined for 44 points and 16 rebounds.

Randall scored 19 points to lead Dixie State, which was forced to count the game as an exhibition because Division II teams are not yet allowed to start the regular season.

"It's like Coach told us, no matter who you play, you've always got a chance to lose," Adams said.

It was a regular-season victory for UNLV, which got 14 points from senior forward Corey Bailey.

Rougeau came off the bench to get 13 points, six rebounds and five steals. Senior guard Curtis Terry, who scored a career-high 26 points in Friday's season-opening victory over Montana State, had all of his 11 points in the first half.

UNLV plays Saturday at San Diego before hosting No. 6 Louisville next Wednesday.

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