UNLV euphoria fleeting
In a moment of euphoria, Curtis Terry hit a 3-pointer, chest-bumped teammates and celebrated along with the crowd. UNLV was sensing an upset in the making.
But it was just a moment, and it was lost in a blur.
Sixth-ranked Louisville went on a big second-half run Wednesday night and pulled away to a 68-48 victory that ended the Rebels’ 19-game winning streak at the Thomas & Mack Center.
"I hit that 3, and I thought we had a lot of momentum," Terry said. "I didn’t really feel that run coming from them.
"But we didn’t handle our responsibilities, and things just got out of control. The next thing you know, you look up, and they’re up by 10 points, and they’re a very explosive team."
Terry’s shot from 22 feet put UNLV ahead 35-33 with 14:37 left, and it brought the crowd of 14,133 to its feet.
Cardinals coach Rick Pitino called timeout and changed his team’s 2-3 zone defense.
Louisville responded with a 16-2 run, capped by Earl Clark’s fast-break dunk that made it 49-37 with 9:08 remaining.
"When they took the lead, I called timeout and said, ‘The zone is done, and we’re going (man to man) the rest of the way,’ " Pitino said. "Defensively, we did a terrific job."
Clark, a 6-foot-8-inch forward, finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Cardinals (3-0).
Sophomore center Matt Shaw led scorers for the Rebels (3-1) with 11 points. Wink Adams and Joe Darger had nine points apiece and Terry eight.
UNLV suffered its worst home loss under fourth-year coach Lon Kruger. It also was the Rebels’ most lopsided home loss since a 98-73 setback to Southern California on Feb. 9, 2003.
"We don’t like the feeling of losing at all, and I think our guys will learn something from this game," Kruger said. "When you lose, it stings a little bit more. It’s a feeling you can’t accept."
The big shot Terry made was a rare moment for UNLV, which was doomed by its poor shooting (16-for-64, 25 percent).
Adams, Darger and Shaw each shot 1-for-6 on 3-pointers. The Rebels hit just 6 of 30 from 3-point range.
"To beat a good team, we’re going to have to shoot much better than we did tonight," Kruger said.
Louisville was bigger and more athletic and took UNLV out of its offense, often forcing the Rebels into off-balance shots.
UNLV shot 7-for-34 (20.6 percent) in the first half and trailed 26-23.
"We did a good job making the extra pass, but we just weren’t hitting the shots," said Adams, who made 3 of 12 from the field. "It’s tough when the shots aren’t falling."
The Rebels grabbed 14 offensive rebounds in the first half but only one in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Darger had a career-high 13 rebounds, five on the offensive end.
The Cardinals took a 16-6 lead at the midpoint of the first half. Darger and Adams answered with back-to-back 3s to help UNLV close the gap.
With the Rebels scrambling at the end, Louisville’s Jerry Smith hit a 3-pointer with
3:33 left to make it 60-46 and send many fans headed for the exits. Smith finished with 14 points.
The Cardinals shot 23-for-49 (46.9 percent) had a 43-36 edge in rebounds.
UNLV hosts UNR on Saturday. Louisville next plays Brigham Young on Friday in the Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena.
"I’ve always felt Lon is one of the better coaches in the country," Pitino said. "We’re real proud of beating UNLV on the road."
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or at 387-2907.
UNLV BasketballLOUISVILLE — 68 UNLV — 48 KEY: Earl Clark scored a game-high 16 points, including a dunk that capped a 16-2 Louisville run in the second half. NEXT: UNR at UNLV, 7 p.m. Saturday, theMtn. (Digital Cable 334), KBAD-AM (920)
