Thursday, June 4, 1998 | 10:55 a.m.
It may be premature to think the Western Athletic Conference split could impact the upcoming basketball season. But time is of the essence if the 1998-99 schedule is to be revamped to reflect the changes a year from now.
UNLV and seven other schools have opted to leave the WAC at the end of June 1999. There has been discussion about reworking the upcoming conference basketball schedule to have the remaining members of the WAC in one division with the departing eight forming the other division of the 16-team conference.
As it stands, the third rotation of the quadrant format adopted three years ago with the expansion from 10 to 16 schools is scheduled to take effect. For UNLV, that means a 14-game schedule including home-and-home games with Rice, Texas Christian, Tulsa and Southern Methodist along with Wyoming, Colorado State and Air Force.
But if the switch was implemented, it would mean the Rebels would face Utah, New Mexico, San Diego State and Brigham Young instead of TCU, Rice, SMU and Tulsa. On paper, it would appear Bill Bayno's club would get the worst of that exchange.
"I don't think it makes that much of a difference either way," Bayno said. "You can't control it, so why bitch about it?"
Bayno did say that playing New Mexico and Utah, two perennial top-20 teams, could boost UNLV's Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
"That would be a plus," he said. "But I don't see it being a big issue."
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said Wednesday it's premature to speculate on such a venture.
"It's way, way early to think it's going to happen," Benson said from San Miguel, Calif., where he stopped off on his way home to Colorado to chat with reporters. "I talked to the eight (remaining WAC) athletic directors and it is something that has been addressed."
Benson said there's a good chance the topic may be discussed by the entire WAC in the next 30 days. If the WAC council approves such a switch, the 16 presidents would have to unanimously approve it.
UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro was skeptical such a switch could be consummated at this juncture.
"I don't know that you can work it out this late in the game," he said. "But if they can work it out, it's at least worth looking at."
Benson said one problem in juggling the schedule is Hawaii. Teams that play the Rainbows are permitted under NCAA rules to add an extra game to their schedules. Many of Hawaii's seven WAC opponents already have added that extra game.
If the switch is made, those games would likely have to be postponed a year or dropped. In some cases, television may be involved and those deals probably couldn't be changed.
Hoop du jour
* STAYING IN CHICAGO: It appears Shawn Marion's arrival in Las Vegas will be delayed again. The 6-foot-7 forward from Vincennes (Ind.) University is one of 17 finalists for the Goodwill Games team and he will remain at his mother's home in Chicago until it's time to depart for Minneapolis July 6 for the resumption of workouts at the University of Minnesota. "Shawn's got a job (in Chicago) and he's going to stay there and get ready for July 6," coach Bill Bayno said. Marion survived the first cutdown from 30 to 17 last Sunday in Colorado Springs.
* TRIP IS ON: Bayno and administrative assistant Barry Rohrssen will coach a select team of collegians that leaves for Tahiti Saturday. The "People To People All-Stars" will include Rebels Ike Epps and Greedy Daniels along with eight other players. Daniels and Epps had to raise $2,300 apiece to make the 11-day trip.
* RECRUITING UPDATE: Signee Chris Richardson is very close to passing his SAT and being eligible for the upcoming season. The 6-7 senior forward from Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, scored 810 on his most recent attempt at the standardized test and is awaiting his May result. He also will take the SAT again Saturday, so he has two chances to up his score the necessary 10 points to be eligible. ... It appears Mohammad Kante', a 6-10 center from Paris, France, is going to visit UNLV Friday. Kante' is being recruited by several Eastern schools and has visited Pittsburgh and Rutgers. UNLV has one scholarship to give for 1998.
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