Road trip has NCAA tourney implications for Rebels

There's no need to call the AAA for assistance. This is one map the UNLV basketball team can read with no problem.

There's a road the Rebels have to take to return to the NCAA Tournament next month and it just happens to go through Houston and Tulsa this weekend. Any breakdowns along the way and it could be a long way to Tipperary for Bill Bayno's first-place squad.

But should the 14-7 Rebels negotiate this two-game road trip at Rice Saturday and at Tulsa Monday without mishap, it could be smooth sailing the rest of the way.

Bayno knows it, but would never say it -- this is the biggest regular-season weekend in his four-year tenure at UNLV.

If the Rebels end the trip still on top of the WAC Mountain Division, where they are 7-1, they'll be in position to close it out the following week at home against Southern Methodist and Texas Christian. They would also secure a spot in the WAC tournament quarterfinals and perhaps build enough of a resume to snag an at-large berth to the Big Dance without having to win the WAC tourney.

"I'm not even thinking about that stuff," Bayno said. "My only concern is Rice. After Saturday, I'll start worrying about Tulsa."

The players are taking the same path. But they know what's at stake.

"If we can get these two, it'll be real huge for us," senior forward and co-captain Kevin Simmons said. "The important thing for us is to have some momentum in practice this week and have it carry over to Saturday."

As one of the team's leaders, it's up to Simmons, along with co-captain Brian Keefe and junior point guard Mark Dickel, to show the way by example.

"I think you're going to see greater emotion and energy this week," Dickel said of what to expect from the Rebels against Rice, 6-4 in the WAC Mountain (15-7 overall) after beating Air Force Thursday at Autry Court. "These teams are gunning for us and we know that."

The Rebels, who've already seen what looking ahead can do to a team when it came out flat against SMU and eventually lost 72-62, nearly had an encore performance at Air Force. It took a strong effort by Simmons down the stretch to give UNLV the 65-64 win over the feisty Falcons, and it was another reminder of what embracing success can do to a team.

"We know that if we don't play our best basketball, Rice can beat us," Dickel said of the Owls, 12-1 at Autry Court. "But we've been working hard this week and I think our concentration is where it needs to be."

In the first meeting against Rice on Jan. 14 at the Thomas & Mack Center, UNLV's front line of Simmons, Shawn Marion and Kaspars Kambala combined for 52 points, 30 rebounds and four blocked shots as the Rebels coasted to 78-72 victory. Rice shot 43 percent from the floor and despite Robert Johnson's 26 points and Jason Skaer's 17, the Owls couldn't overcome the UNLV trio.

Hoop du jour Greedy Daniels practiced at full speed Thursday after spraining his ankle Tuesday. The 6-foot sophomore guard is expected to take his regular turn in the rotation Saturday. ... As of Thursday, UNLV was one of only two teams to have two road wins in division play. TCU, which beat Colorado State and SMU, is the other. ... Don't expect the Rebels to catch any breaks from the refs Saturday. In the first meeting Jan. 14, Rice shot just nine free throws compared to UNLV's 36. ... Rice's Johnson continues to lead the WAC in scoring, averaging 22.6 points. ... Saturday is Rice's final home game of the season. The Owls wrap up conference play with road games at Tulsa, TCU and SMU.

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