San Diego State Makes Late Rally, but Nevada Las Vegas Wins, 85-80

San Diego State’s Aztecs had Nevada Las Vegas right where they wanted it Thursday, meaning they had Richie Adams right where they wanted him--on the bench.

The Rebels’ center was burdened with three fouls early in the first half and four early in the second half.

“We wanted to take the ball to him and get him out,” Aztec Coach Smokey Gaines said.

Adams got plenty of help from his teammates, however, and the Rebels survived a second-half San Diego State rally to win, 85-80, in the first round of the NCAA West Regionals at the University of Utah.

Thus, San Diego State ended its best Division I season with a 23-8 record. Once again, in its third NCAA appearance, it was knocked out in the first round.

“We showed we could play with them,” guard Anthony Watson said. “But I wanted to show we could beat them.”

The Aztecs did throw a scare into the ninth-ranked Rebels, who entered the game with a 27-3 record and a nine-game winning streak.

UNLV built a 13-point lead in the first half despite Adams’ absence for the last 14:09 with three fouls. But the Aztecs slowly trimmed that lead and finally tied the game, 56-56, on a dunk by Leonard Allen off a pass from Watson with 9:49 to play.

It was starting to look like a replay of last week’s win over Texas El Paso for the Western Athletic Conference tournament championship. The Aztecs were down by 10 in that game but rallied to win, 87-81.

UNLV would not fold. Adams, the Rebels’ leading scorer this season, did not score until 12:03 remained in the game, but he hit two free throws to break the 56-56 tie and scored a total of 10 points going down the stretch. He never did pick up his fifth foul.

“I just didn’t want to put him back in and have him let everybody score,” UNLV Coach Jerry Tarkanian said. “I told him I’d rather he foul out than let people go.”

Tarkanian was understandably concerned about the Aztecs’ scoring inside. Most of the San Diego State points came when the guards--Watson, Creon Dorsey or Jeff Konek--penetrated and either scored or passed to the big men.

The 6-10 Allen was the top scorer with 23 points, and Watson scored 19, most on drives or jumpers from next to the key. Forwards Michael Kennedy and John Martens had 11 apiece.

“They were beating us on the dribble with one-on-one penetration,” Tarkanian said. “Their first four baskets came when the guards penetrated and then dished off. We stopped that for the rest of the first half.”

The Aztecs led, 10-6, with five baskets from the inside, three by Watson on drives into the key, but then were temporarily silenced.

UNLV scored 13 of the next 14 points. With Adams benched in foul trouble, forward Armon Gilliam--the Rebels’ top scorer with 21 points--made 7 of those 13 points.

“UNLV has excellent depth,” Allen said. “When we got Richie out, No. 00--I don’t know his name--came off the bench and did an excellent job.”

That would have been freshman center Richard Robinson. His turnaround jumper capped UNLV’s comeback from a 10-6 deficit and gave it a 19-11 lead.

The Rebels built that into a 43-33 lead by halftime.

UNLV came out cold in the second half, however. The Rebels missed their first 10 shots, and the Aztecs launched a rally--a rally built of frustration.

This was no swift surge from behind. The Aztecs came within one and fell back, got within two and fell back, then got within two again.

With 1:02 to play, a jumper by Watson trimmed UNLV’s margin to 79-76--and that was it for both Watson and the Aztecs. He was assessed two fouls in three seconds, and was out of the game.

Four free throws by Freddie Banks in the last 27 seconds kept the Aztecs at bay.

“We didn’t play our best game, but we didn’t give up,” Gaines said. “I thought we could have won the ballgame if we’d made free throws and cut down our turnovers.”