UNLV has plenty to play for

SMU at Rebels

When: Saturday,1 p.m.

TV: ESPN2 (Cox channel 31)

Radio: KXNT, 840 AM

Regardless of the path it chooses to take, one thing is for certain -- UNLV won't be lacking motivation when it faces Southern Methodist at noon Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Rebels have several avenues at their disposal. There's the obvious revenge factor, given the Mustangs' 72-62 win on Jan. 21 at Moody Coliseum. There's the rally for fallen teammate Kaspars Kambala, whose season came to a premature end Wednesday with surgery on his right knee to repair torn cartilage.

Then there's the bye factor. UNLV can clinch a tie for first place in the WAC Mountain Division with a win Saturday and earn a pass to the quarterfinals of the WAC tournament.

Finally, at 15-8 (8-2 WAC), the Rebels remain alive for an NCAA Tournament at-large berth. A win could only help improve the team's power rating and keep the late-season success factor going, criteria the tournament selection committee considers very important.

"I'm not talking revenge," coach Bill Bayno said on the eve of what will be the final home stand of the regular season. "I don't think it's revenge, but our kids know SMU kicked our butts up there (at Dallas) and they did it with heart and hustle.

"I think it's good that our kids remember that."

Senior co-captain Brian Keefe doesn't believe revenge will be an overriding factor.

"I think it heightens our awareness," he said. "We didn't come out focused last time and it cost us. Now, it gets you ready to play."

Keefe said the team can't afford to use the NCAA Tournament as motivation because it might mean getting caught looking ahead.

"This team is best when it just takes it one game at a time," he said. "I know that's cliche, but it's true with us. We have four games left, but it's hard to look at the big picture. Right now, we have SMU in front of us and that's the most important game for us."

The Mustangs used that win over UNLV to jump-start what was developing into a disastrous season. Since that victory, Mike Dement's team has played itself back into the conference race with six wins in its last eight games and a 12-12 overall mark after Thursday's 86-81 win over Air Force.

"We're a more mature team now," Dement said. "We've had some good things happen to us during this stretch. There's no question we're a more confident team."

Junior guard Stephen Woods' stress fracture in his foot is a thing of the past, and he is playing without pain and without fear. Woods has been the catalyst in SMU's last three victories, hitting big shots to get the Mustangs to the winner's circle.

Forward Willie Davis has turned things around after a tough December and early January to where he is back contributing on a regular basis. And the return of 6-8 freshman forward Mike Niemi from a mid-season injury has given SMU added strength on the boards.

All of that means talented sophomore off-guard Jeryl Sasser doesn't have to do it all by himself.

"They're playing with a lot of confidence," Bayno said of the Mustangs, who are 5-5 in the WAC Mountain. "Their big guys are playing better and Davis has picked up his game and Woods and Sasser are two of the best guards in the league.

"The goal of this game is to win the battle of the backcourt. We have to use our toughness and quickness and have the mind set to battle for 40 minutes."

As for making up Kambala's 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, Keefe said it's going to take everyone to pick up the slack.

"I don't see any one guy doing it," he said. "I think we'll have to spread it around the other guys."

Without Kambala's post presence, UNLV is going to have to be even more selective when it comes to shots. The Rebels can't just dump it into the post and have Kambala make 64 percent of his attempts, which was the best in the WAC.

"We have to do a better job of setting screens, recognizing who's open and then knocking down the shots," Bayno said. "We're going to have to have everyone contributing."

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