Both Teams Improved Since Rebels Lost in Tucson : UNLV and Arizona Primed for Rematch

In the weeks leading up to the NCAA tournament, more than a few fans in this basketball-mad city grumbled quietly about this year’s version of the Runnin’ Rebels.

Seven losses and a No. 15 ranking may go over well in some parts, but for spoiled Nevada-Las Vegas fans it’s almost a wasted season.

“We’re just to the point where Vegas fans expect us to be great every year,” UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian said. “We can’t be great every year. No one can.”

Maybe not great, but the Runnin’ Rebels are good enough to make the NCAA’s round of 16, where UNLV gets the dubious distinction of facing No. 1 Arizona on Thursday in Denver.

The game is a rematch of a December contest in Tucson won by Arizona 86-75. But both Arizona and UNLV will be different teams this time around.

UNLV has found an inside game and some consistency among its young players, while Arizona also is peaking at just the right time with two blowouts to open play in the West Regional at Boise, Ida..

“You look at their scores, and they’re burying people,” Tarkanian said after a practice session. “They’ve really come a long ways.”

UNLV has won eight straight games itself and 13 of its last 14. The last UNLV loss came at the hands of Louisiana State on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“The difference now is that he (Tarkanian) has his team rounded into shape,” Arizona coach Lute Olson said.

The game figures to be a match-up between UNLV’s quickness and man-to-man pressure and Arizona’s dominating inside game, led by All-American Sean Elliott.

Elliott had 32 points and 15 rebounds in the first game between the two teams.

“He played that night like he invented the game,” Tarkanian said.

Arizona had 15 turnovers in the first game, but that was before steady Matt Muehlebach was inserted into the starting lineup.

“Unlike some teams, we have more than one guy who can handle the ball,” Olson said.

UNLV’s 28-7 record may not be as good as some of the rabid fans might like, but five of the losses were by a total of seven points and UNLV played its toughest non-conference road schedule ever.

Consistency for Tarkanian means his fifth appearance in the sweet 16 and a chance to go to the Final Four for the second time in three years.

“We’re fortunate we’ve been so good for so long,” he said. “But we’ve already got people calling us and asking when the playoffs are for next year so they can plan their vacations. That’s ridiculous.”