UNLV goal: Keep Wade off balance

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Not that he needs it, but San Diego State junior Lorrenzo Wade should have some added bounce in his step today.

Wade, a 6-foot-6-inch forward who starred at Cheyenne High School, is returning to his hometown off the best game of his career and the Aztecs’ biggest win of the season.

One of the most explosive leapers in the Mountain West Conference, Wade is capable of carrying his team on his broad shoulders.

Finding a way to keep Wade grounded will be the key to success for UNLV, which hosts San Diego State at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“If Lorrenzo gets out early and gets a dunk, it will probably get him going and get the rest of their team going,” Rebels senior Curtis Terry said. “We’ve got to try to limit Lorrenzo.”

Wade scored a career-high 28 points Saturday to lift the Aztecs to a 69-65 victory over Brigham Young. That upset has added some drama to the conference race, with the top four teams squaring off today.

As UNLV (20-6, 9-3) is playing San Diego State (18-9, 8-5), first-place BYU (21-6, 10-2) will be in action against New Mexico (22-6, 9-4) at Albuquerque, N.M.

The Rebels can move into a tie for the league lead if they win and the Cougars lose.

“It’s a great stretch run,” UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. “There’s four games left and one game separates you, so obviously we’re still in the hunt.”

But Kruger’s message to his players is simple. “Just take care of what you can control,” he said.

The Rebels were returning home from their 73-65 victory at Wyoming on Saturday when they learned of BYU’s loss at San Diego State.

“Everybody was kind of excited about that,” Terry said. “It makes it interesting now. But we’ve got to handle our business. If we don’t do that, then there’s no point in it at all.”

Terry’s 3-pointer with 26 seconds to play beat the Aztecs 72-69 on Jan. 26, but that’s only one reason why he expects UNLV to get San Diego State’s best shot in the rematch.

Wade, who led Cheyenne to the Class 4A state title in 2003, was held to eight points in the first meeting. Wade averages 15.5 points and has scored in double figures in 23 of 27 games this season.

The other half of the Aztecs’ Las Vegas connection is 6-8 forward Billy White, who played at Green Valley High. White had 15 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals in the victory over BYU.

“This will be Billy White’s first time coming back home, and playing in front of his friends and family from Vegas, so we definitely expect a lot of energy coming from him,” Terry said.

“Lorrenzo has done it before. We’ve got to try to control those guys. We know they will be fired up.”

On Monday, White was named conference Player of the Week, making him the first freshman in the Mountain West’s nine-year history to earn the honor twice.

“Billy is so big and athletic, and he is playing with the confidence now that goes with his ability,” San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said.

The Aztecs are strong on the front line with Wade, White and 6-8 junior Ryan Amoroso, who averages 10.7 points and 6.5 rebounds.

Amoroso spent two years at Marquette and transferred in the summer of 2006. He verbally committed to UNLV before changing his mind a week later and going to San Diego State.

Wade is the Aztecs’ catalyst, but the Rebels contained him in January by using Corey Bailey, Rene Rougeau and a combination of defenders.

“He’s such a good player and he’s coming off a big-time game against BYU,” Kruger said, “so we know we’ll have to give Wade extra attention.”

• NOTES — Terry practiced Monday and said the groin injury that bothered him last week has improved. … Several UNLV players were ill recently, but Kruger said, “I think everyone is glad to have that battle with the flu behind us. We’re probably as healthy right now as we’ve been, so no complaints.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2907.