And the No.
1 Favorite Runnin’ Rebel Memory (as selected by a group of fans, players and
coaches) from the 2009-10 season is…
No. 1 – The BYU Blowout
It was a
day even the most faithful of UNLV Runnin’ Rebel fans could have never
imagined. But a sellout crowd of 18,557 fans in sea of red (UNLV’s largest home
crowd since 1993) witnessed it with their own eyes on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010.
The
dangerous BYU Cougars (22-2 at the time) – ranked No. 12 in the nation – were
visiting the Thomas & Mack Center as UNLV was trying to avenge a
heart-breaking loss in Provo, Utah, to start the conference season a month
earlier.
And while
it was literally raining outside in Las
Vegas that day, it was pouring from outside inside the
The Mack for the Runnin’ Rebels.
UNLV jumped
all over BYU 15-2 to start the game and the rout was on early. Junior Tre’Von
Willis (who would be honored as ESPN.com’s Player of the Week for his
performance) scored 21 first half points as the Runnin’ Rebels once led in the
game, 47-18.
The Runnin’
Rebels went 9-of-13 on 3-pointers in the first half to take a 56-34 lead into
halftime and finished with an 88-74 win to move UNLV into a first place tie in
the Mountain West Conference.
Willis
finished with an impressive stat line of 33 points (4-of-7 from 3-point range),
eight assists and five rebounds. Matt Shaw (13 points) and Oscar Bellfield (12
points) both went 3-of-4 from 3-point range as well. (Unfortunately, Bellfield
tweaked his knee in the second half of the game and would be hampered the
remainder of the season with the injury.)
Said one
fan who voted “The BYU Blowout” the No. 1 memory: “I looked up at the
scoreboard when it was 47-18 and literally couldn’t believe what I was looking
at. That first half was like nothing I had ever experienced as a fan. We came
into the game expecting a battle and it became a laugher. It was like a giant
party. It wasn’t like we were blowing out a bad team. BYU was one of the best
teams in the country. I will remember that game forever.”
That
following Monday, the Runnin’ Rebels (19-4 at the time) returned to the Top 25.
UNLV joined New Mexico
and BYU in the national rankings marking the first time in league history three
Mountain West Conference teams were ranked in the Top 25 at the same time.
Still
to Come: Favorite 2009-10 Runnin’ Rebel Memories and Moments – Honorable
Mentions.