We're almost to No. 1. All 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. 2 –
Another Oscar-Winning Performance vs. Louisville
UNLV point
guard Oscar Bellfield is a likable young man with a million dollar smile. But
please forgive Louisville
basketball fans if they prefer not to talk about the Runnin’ Rebel
junior-to-be. After all, he’s become a bona fide “Cardinal Killer” in his
two-year college career.
On New
Year’s Eve (Dec. 31, 2008), Bellfield (then a freshman) claimed a 55-54 win for
UNLV with a bank shot over 6-foot-9 Samardo Samuels with 16 seconds remaining
in the game at Louisville.
Fast-forward
11 months later when the No. 16 Cardinals visited the Thomas & Mack Center
on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009 in a battle of 4-0 squads. It would turn out to be
another Oscar-winning performance.
Behind the
play of Bellfield and Tre’Von Willis – as well as one of senior Darris Santee’s
best performances as a Rebel – UNLV jumped out to a 53-34 lead with 14:05 left
in the second half. The T&M was electric as Rebel fans watched UNLV run out
to the big lead and two highlight alley-oop dunks by junior Derrick Jasper sent
the Rebel faithful into a frenzy.
One of the
plays (arguably the most memorable Rebel highlight play of the season) started
with a diving save of a ball going out of bounds by Steve “Chop” Jones, who
kept the ball alive for Bellfield, who was also going out of bounds when he
made a no-look pass to Willis. Willis then set up Jasper perfectly for the
highlight reel play that will not soon be forgotten by Rebel fans.
"I
just kind of looked at Tre," said Jasper about the play. "We've been
playing basketball together for a while now, so I gave him that look, and he
gave me that look and he threw it up. I had to put my springs on."
However,
the Cardinals fought back from the 19-point deficit and tied the game at 64-64
with 4:24 remaining. That’s when Oscar took his cue. Bellfield (who led UNLV
with 17 points) scored the Rebels’ next six points – including another drive to
the right side of the lane (over Samuels yet again) to put UNLV up 70-66 with
2:25 to go. Final score: UNLV 76, Louisville
71.
While the déjà
vu experience may have been tough for Cardinal fans, it's a victory UNLV fans will remember for some time. After
all, the win led UNLV to a 5-0 record and – two days later – its first Top 25
ranking in November since 1992.
Coming
Friday: Favorite Runnin’ Rebel Memory No. 1 from the 2009-10 season – as well
as a list of all memories/moments that received votes, but did not make the Top 5.