COLLEGE BASKETBALL BIG WEST CONFERENCE MEN’S TOURNAMENT : Rebels Will Bring Crowd to Long Beach

As if Nevada Las Vegas doesn’t have enough of an advantage, a large contingent of Rebel fans is expected for the Big West Conference men’s basketball tournament starting today in the Long Beach Arena.

That should help prevent the top-ranked Rebels (27-0) from letting down against teams they dominated this season.

“Even if they don’t feel like playing hard, they will when they see the 6,000 or 7,000 who have driven across the desert,” Coach Jerry Tarkanian said.

UNLV, which plays Cal State Long Beach at 9 p.m., is expected to easily win three games this weekend before moving on to the NCAA tournament and trying to become the first undefeated national champion since Indiana in 1975-76.

The Rebels, 18-0 in the Big West, have won 38 consecutive games over two seasons, a streak Tarkanian says he does not discuss with his players.

“I’m sure there’s some pressure because the kids read about it and hear about it around town,” he said. “But never once have we talked about how many we’ve won in a row.”

Tarkanian, who coached at Long Beach 20 years ago and has a 41-game winning streak in the Long Beach Arena, said he has not been disappointed with any phase of the Rebels’ game.

How could he be? They have won by an average of 29.5 points. They have shot 54.8% and held opponents to 39.7%. They have made 42.6% of their three-point shots.

Forwards Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon combine for 41 points and 19 rebounds. Guard Anderson Hunt averages 18 points. Guard Greg Anthony averages nine assists. And centers George Ackles and Elmore Spencer combine for an average of four blocked shots.

Long Beach has lost to UNLV by 51 and 47 points.

“We’ve played them twice, but haven’t played them yet,” said 49er Coach Seth Greenberg, who is 11-16 in his first season. “We want to make it interesting at the start of the second half.”

Second-seeded New Mexico State, 23-4 and No. 11 in the nation, is the only Big West team that has fared decently against UNLV, losing two 86-74 games.

The Aggies, who probably will receive an NCAA at-large berth, will play at 6:30 p.m. against Fresno State (12-15), which they defeated during the regular season, 82-77 and 105-80.

Fresno Coach Gary Colson will be trying for his 500th victory.

At 1 p.m., third-seeded Pacific (13-14) will play Cal State Fullerton (14-13). Dell Demps of Pacific, who is averaging 18.4 points, and Fullerton’s Joe Small, averaging 22.3, are two of the leading guards in the conference.

Fullerton has lost eight of its last 11 games and is down to seven players.

In the other quarterfinal game, Utah State (11-16) will play UC Santa Barbara (13-14) at 3 p.m.

The semifinals will be played Saturday night at 7 and 9:30, and the title game is set for Sunday at 12:30 p.m.