Runnin' Rebels-Wildcats: UNLV Loses Season Finale to Kentucky in NIT

The UNLV Runnin' Rebels played the Kentucky Wildcats to a draw in the second half of their first-round encounter in the NIT. The problem with that? They were down 10 at the half, and so lost to Kentucky 70-60.

With Rupp Arena unavailable due to a scheduling conflict, the Wildcats hosted a game at Memorial Coliseum for the first time since 1976. The 8300-plus fans made more than enough noise to create havoc as both coaches had difficulty communicating with their players during the game.

The Rebels got off to a fast start, taking a 9-2 lead. However, the Wildcats came roaring back and outscored UNLV 32-15 to take the aforementioned 10-point halftime lead.

As Yogi Berra would say, "It was Déjà vu all over again.”

UNLV missed countless three-point plays, and with no inside presence, it looked like a mismatch as Kentucky opened a 20-point lead early in the second half.

The Wildcats were led by junior guard Jodie Meeks, their leading scorer throughout the season, who poured in 19 points. They also got a solid contribution from 6'9" sophomore Patrick Patterson, who played a brilliant overall game, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Rebels were paced by their senior and leading scorer, Wink Adams, who led a furious second-half comeback attempt. Wink had 14 points and four rebounds to end his stellar career as a Rebel.

Midway through the second half, the Rebels found their stroke from three-point range. Joe Darger dropped three from downtown, while Wink and Moe Rutledge each tossed in two from beyond the arc to cut the Wildcats lead to three with just a little over four minutes left to play.

Sadly, a referee’s whistle will be seen by many as the turning point of the game. Late in the contest, one of the zebras blew a call that clearly changed the outcome and ultimately ended UNLV’s hopes of beating both Louisville and Kentucky on their home floors in the same year.

Kentucky opponents have only accomplished that feat four times in the Wild Cats' vaunted history.

The controversial call came with the Rebels having a chance to tie the game with possession of the ball. Moe Rutledge, playing in his final game as a Rebel, was clearly tripped by a Kentucky defender, with the ball going out of bounds.

However, the referee swallowed his whistle, and gave the possession to the Wildcats.

Coach Lon Kruger went ballistic, and you could read his lips when he clearly screamed at the ref saying, "it's the rule," meaning when an offensive player is tripped and loses the ball the offensive team remains in possession.

I have watched just about every Rebels game in Lon Kruger's five-year tenure at UNLV and I have never seen him more upset about a call or anything that has occurred during a game as the coach.

The announcers of the game, clearly rooting for Kentucky (it was close to sickening), even agreed with Kruger.

From that point on, the Rebels clearly lost their focus and the game was a done deal.

I’m not certain of the reason, but from the powerhouse days of the Rebels under Jerry Tarkanian right up through today, I have witnessed a clear bias against the UNLV school.

Whether it’s the way the games are called, or simply the disdain shown to UNLV by the sports media, Rebels basketball seems to be treated unfairly.

This is patently wrong. Lon Kruger and his staff have done an exemplary job not only this year, but the entire five years they’ve been with the program. UNLV has a great college basketball program, and they deserve better.

Kruger has rebuilt this program from the ground up, putting them on the verge of once again being the powerhouse they were under Tarkanian’s leadership.

While the media and referees seem to disdain that, I commend Kruger and his staff for the very fine job they’ve done this year and over the past five.

I wish them continued success in the coming years, and will be watching as they do it.