Arkansas, Fans Make UNLV No. 1 Priority : Basketball: Other than Richardson, second-ranked Razorbacks aren’t that impressed with defending champions.

Convinced that they will be witnesses to basketball history, a handful of Arkansas students pitched a tent at the front of Barnhill Arena last Sunday and began their countdown to today’s game between their beloved and No. 2-ranked Razorbacks and the undefeated and No. 1-ranked UNLV Runnin’ Rebels.

Soon the one tent became two, then three, then four, then a dozen. Word of Tent City spread. By Friday, there were 45 makeshift campsites. By Saturday evening, there were 80 tents. In peaceful Fayette ville, that qualifies as a suburb.

Suddenly, UNLV vs. Arkansas is the biggest thing to hit this town since cable TV. Not since--well, who knows when?--has a Razorback basketball game stirred such emotions, hopes and sleeping bag sales.

Already the shelf life of anti-Vegas T-shirts is only hours, sometimes minutes, at local stores. And scalpers confidently predict a brisk business today, with prices perhaps reaching $600 for one of the estimated 9,500 tickets.

Hog hysteria is here, all right--from the student tent commune, to the local folks, to the Arkansas faculty.

“Some of the professors ask if I have any extra tickets,” said Oliver Miller, Arkansas’ 6-foot-9, 288-pound Baby Huey of a center. “(I say), ‘Yeah, if I can get an A.’ ”

Even Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson, the in-season insomniac, said today’s game has had him tossing and turning more than usual.

The reason? “(UNLV) is the best basketball team I’ve seen in the 11 years I’ve been in college (coaching),” he said.

Maybe so, but his Razorbacks don’t seem too impressed. Forward Todd Day predicted an Arkansas victory, explaining that UNLV’s second-stringers were no match for Razorback bench strength.

Miller clicked off the various matchups between starters and each time, gave the advantage to the Razorbacks. Done with that analysis, Miller proceeded to question the Runnin’ Rebel schedule (weak) and intimidation tactics (no factor). He picked the Razorbacks by “at least” 10 points.

Meanwhile, forward Todd Day reminded everyone that Arkansas led UNLV at halftime of last year’s game at Las Vegas, before losing by eight points. A year older and wiser, Day suggested that the Razorbacks will treat the defending national champions with less respect this time around.

So seemingly relaxed is Richardson’s team, that none of the players could understand why anyone would spend time in a tent just to get first choice in the 1,300-seat student section. That doesn’t mean they weren’t thankful for the support. Before Saturday’s workout, Mayberry spent an hour at Tent City chatting with the students and peeking inside their temporary homes.

Miller seemed especially amused by Barnhill’s new neighborhood. Asked if there was anything that could convince him to camp out for a week, the jumbo-sized Miller shook his head no. Then he reconsidered.

“It’s been kind of cool lately,” he said. “Maybe if I had a lady beside me to keep me warm. I don’t think a sleeping bag would be enough.”

Said Mayberry, “Have to be a big lady.”

So much for nerves. If Arkansas (23-1) is worried about today’s meeting with the Runnin’ Rebels (19-0), they have an odd way of showing it.

For starters, Richardson told his assistants not to bother showing the Razorbacks the videotape of last year’s meeting with Vegas. He said his team doesn’t need any more reminders.

Richardson also left an early wakeup call for his team today, thanks mainly to the 11:25 a.m. CST tipoff. Breakfast will be served at 7 o’clock.

“I think they’re more concerned about that then they are the game,” he said. “They’re saying, ‘We got to get up at 6:30?’ ”

They also might be considering the following:

--Miller, nationally ranked in field goal percentage and blocked shots, is Arkansas’ only true inside presence. If he gets in foul trouble, which he is prone to do, the Razorbacks could be in serious trouble. Word is that Big East officiating crews (that conference is supplying today’s referees) are whistle-happy.

--Unlike last season’s game, the 6-8 Day will be matched against 6-8 defensive specialist Stacey Augmon. Day, playing guard, not forward against the Runnin’ Rebels last year, scored 31 points and was able to post up against the smaller Greg Anthony.

“(This time) we get to guard the little guys,” Anthony said.

--Larry Johnson. Can he be stopped? The UNLV power forward is averaging 22.7 points and 11.3 rebounds.

Of course, Vegas has its own concerns. Mayberry and Day did combine for 59 points last year in a 101-93 loss to the Runnin’ Rebels.

Richardson is unpredictable, so who knows--maybe he’ll stick Day back at guard and cause UNLV to change matchups. And what happens if those Big East referees start calling fouls on UNLV’s players, Johnson, in particular?

Tarkanian added some worries of his own, including Arkansas’ quickness and the Razorback use of the full-court press. UNLV chewed up UC Irvine when it tried to press Tarkanian’s team earlier this season. “But (Arkansas has) better players running it than Irvine,” he said.

Nor is the thought of playing at cozy Barnhill an idea that thrills him.

“I’d like this game a lot more if it were played in the Thomas & Mack (Center),” he said.

No way. Several years ago, when Richardson agreed to play mighty Vegas, he did so with one condition: that Tarkanian bring his team to Fayetteville.

With only those 9,500 or seats available, Arkansas’ athletic department officials weren’t in a giving mood when UNLV made its ticket requests. Taking full advantage of home court prerogative, Arkansas sent 70 tickets to Vegas. Tarkanian appealed to Richardson for help. Richardson, dipping into his private reserve, came up with 16 more tickets.

Needless to say, Tarkanian isn’t counting on those 86 UNLV boosters to serve as much inspiration. He can, however, turn to history for comfort. Of the nine games played between No. 1 and No. 2 since 1981, the top-ranked team has won seven of them.

Of course, history is what those tent people want to see. Arkansas history, that is.