UC Irvine Opens Big West Play Against Las Vegas Tonight
Things are a little emotional with the Nevada Las Vegas basketball team these days and that’s not exactly good news for UC Irvine, which will play the Rebels tonight at 6 in a Big West Conference opener at Las Vegas.
The status of Coach Jerry Tarkanian is up in the air since the Supreme Court ruled Monday that the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. had the right to order the school to suspend him.
What’s more, the Rebels lost to Arizona Saturday, 86-75, in a game that Tarkanian really wanted to win because of what Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan calls “big-time animosity” between the UNLV coach and Arizona’s Lute Olson.
Add to that the revenge factor--Irvine upset Las Vegas in the semifinals of last season’s conference tournament--and the Rebels figure to be ready tonight.
The Anteaters have trouble with small quick guards and the Rebel starters--6-1 Anderson Hunt and 6-1 Greg Anthony--both fill that bill. And Irvine has a lot of trouble defending against big, physical post players. The Rebels’ inside guys--George Ackles and David Butler--are both 6-10 and 200 pounds.
So that means the Anteaters only match up well against 6-7 sophomore forward Stacey Augmon, who may be the best player on the team.
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