The
Countdown continues. This week, we are unveiling the Top 5 Favorite Runnin’
Rebel Memories from the 2009-10 season as selected by a group of fans, players
and coaches.
No. 4 – Friday Night Frenzy at The
Mack
In front of
another sold out crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center,
No. 14 BYU and UNLV – the top two teams in the conference over the past four
seasons – went toe-to-toe in the second semifinal of the Mountain West
Conference Tournament on Friday, March 12. For many, the special evening
marked the arrival of the conference on a national level for men’s basketball.
Both teams
came out swinging and trading big shots. UNLV hit 7-of-10 three-pointers in the
first half while BYU connected on 6-of-14 shots from long-range in the first 20
minutes as the Runnin’ Rebels held a 41-34 halftime lead.
Said one voter
who ranked the semifinal game as the No. 2 memory on the season: “An offensive
explosion by both teams to start the game kept MWC fans dazzled.”
While UNLV
stretched the lead to 11 early in the second half, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette led a
Cougar comeback and BYU took the lead 61-59 with less than three minutes
remaining in the game.
But that’s
when the UNLV trio of Tre’Von Willis, Brice Massamba and Chace Stanback came up
big leading the Runnin’ Rebels on an 11-5 run to end the game with a 70-66 win
– assuring the Runnin’ Rebels a spot in the MWC Tournament championship game as
well as improving its NCAA Tournament resume.
Willis led
the Rebels with 18 points (including six in the final minute of the game after
returning from an ankle injury), Stanback had 17 and Massamba finished with 13
as he went 5-for-6 from the floor.
Adding to
the experience was the crowd and the evening’s first semifinal game – a thrilling San Diego State
win over nationally-ranked and top-seeded New Mexico. The T&M was electric that Friday night offering two tremendous games featuring NCAA Tournament teams going head-to-head.
It was a signature moment for the Mountain West Conference and UNLV Runnin’
Rebel fans enjoyed the evening as much as anyone.
Coming Wednesday:
Favorite Runnin’ Rebel Memory No. 3 from the 2009-10 season.