‘Hoosiers’ speech wouldn’t hurt now

OMAHA, Neb.

The majority opinion today is that UNLV’s basketball team is Marie Antoinette being led to the guillotine or, if you prefer, Ralph Cifaretto with Tony Soprano’s hands wrapped around his neck. The consensus is the Rebels’ fate has been decided long before the first shot is attempted.

Could be. Kansas produces great players like it grows grain. The Rebels don’t have to be perfect to defeat the top-seeded Jayhawks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional. Just almost.

“Sometimes,” coach Lon Kruger said Friday, “you have to be careful what you wish for.”

Matchups are why Belmont can nearly shock Duke. They are why Drake can score 99 points in an NCAA Tournament game and lose. The matchups today don’t appear close to favoring UNLV — the other guys are bigger, stronger and more athletic — which means the Rebels might require some unusual sources of inspiration to reach their second straight Sweet 16.

Here are five ways for UNLV to improve its chances of again denying Kansas coach Bill Self a shot at the Final Four, even though his roster, as usual, has more talent than some NBA teams:

1. Find a uniform for Larry Johnson.

The former UNLV great sat in the second row here during Thursday’s win against Kent State and signed more autographs and posed for more pictures than your average presidential candidate. I love the heck out of Joe Darger’s heart and desire and toughness, but I would still prefer a 39-year-old Johnson fighting 6-foot-8-inch, 250-pound Darnel Jackson for inside position.

2. Have the Rebels watch “Hoosiers” over breakfast.

You don’t have to be weird about it or anything (you know, like people who have seen it 61 times, even though I have very good reasons for each one), but considering Kruger probably won’t make anyone forget Knute Rockne for pregame speeches, which words would you rather the Rebels take onto the court?

Norman Dale: “Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we’ve gone over time and time again.

“And most important, don’t get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don’t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we’re gonna be winners!”

Kruger: “Good luck.”

3. Hand each player a sheet containing these two facts:

Self, as a head coach, has reached the Elite Eight four times and lost all of them. Kruger took a football school in Florida to the Final Four.

In other words, whom would you rather have as your coach today?

4. Appeal to the players’ pride by reminding them they’ll be on national television after another season of being seen by no one beyond Summerlin on The Mtn.

Which brings us to one of the better lines heard around the media room this week concerning the Mountain West Conference’s forgotten TV network: “If it falls in a forest, how many people could be watching?”

Ouch. Truth stings.

5. Ask UNLV football coach Mike Sanford to find the two biggest, strongest, meanest linebackers in Las Vegas to fly here and give Kruger 10 hard fouls against Kansas.

After all, I’m certain Sanford knows the way to Bishop Gorman High.

Or maybe the Rebels should just do as they have since practice opened in October. Embrace their roles. Defend like mad. Believe in themselves and their ability to overcome a more talented opponent while adhering to their coach’s game plan:

“We’re not quicker than Kansas, and we’re not bigger, either,” Kruger said. “Pretty much everything needs to go right. We’ve got to make shots. We’ve got to get loose balls. We’ve got to be strong with the ball and have five guys on the defensive boards. We’ve got to have (Kansas) not have a good shooting day. We have to do all the little things well. We have to fight like crazy.

“I think there is some (intimidation) for our players, not that they would admit it. Everyone wants to think they can line up and play (with Kansas), and our guys do, and that’s healthy. But the size and the athleticism will be intimidating early, and we need to withstand that if we can. Kansas is a little different animal, but our guys look forward to this challenge.”

Look: It’s not like Wilt Chamberlain is going to rise from the dead or Danny Manning has any eligibility left. UNLV doesn’t have to be perfect to beat Kansas.

Just almost.

Ed Graney’s column is published Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. He can be reached at (702) 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.