UNLV's WAC fate rests on last two contests

As the Western Athletic Conference's version of the Edmund Fitzgerald continues to take on water, the seeding for next week's conference tournament here gets more convoluted in the Mountain Division.

While the sinking ship that is UNLV could still stay afloat atop the Mountain and get the top seed, the Rebels could finish as low as fourth, depending on what transpires this weekend.

Dave Chaffin, the WAC's director of communications, said Tuesday to try and figure out every possibility would be an exercise in futility, because there are so many scenarios. But when it comes to figuring out UNLV's potential fate, there are four possibilities.

If the Rebels, losers of three of their last four, can stage a turnaround on the Front Range later this week and somehow defeat Colorado State and Wyoming Thursday and Saturday, respectively, they'll stay in first place and avoid a Tuesday opening-round matchup.

A split gives them a piece of the division title, depending on what Southern Methodist, Tulsa and Rice do this weekend. SMU hosts Tulsa Thursday and Rice Saturday. The Mustangs are the lone team to have swept UNLV, so they will have the edge in any head-to-head tiebreaker.

Assuming UNLV does get a split this weekend and earns a share of the division crown, it still keeps them off the court Tuesday, which is the critical thing for Bill Bayno's tiring club.

But should UNLV lose both games, it would mean a call to man the life rafts.

The Rebels would finish third or fourth, depending how Tulsa fares. UNLV swept the Golden Hurricane while it split with Rice and TCU and will have split with Colorado State.

Losing both would mean playing Tuesday. Finishing third would mean playing the sixth-place Pacific Division team, either San Jose State or Brigham Young. Finish fourth and it's a matchup with the Pacific's No. 5, again either BYU or San Jose State.

But one thing is certain -- the Rebels are in the WAC tournament. And win or lose next week, it appears the season will be extended.

The NIT already has contacted UNLV about participating, though it would likely mean hitting the road because the Thomas & Mack won't be available March 10-11. That's when Zig Ziglar heads a list of motivational speakers who will occupy the Mack for "Success 1999" on the 11th.

The T&M has to set up for the show a day in advance. And with the Thunder playing on Friday the 12th, it would mean playing the first round of the NIT on the road. The first-round dates are March 10-12.

Of course, should UNLV turn it around and repeat as WAC tournament champs, the Rebels will earn the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.

But Bayno's not thinking about that right now. His main concern is to stop the water from pouring through the hull of his boat and prevent a total capsize.

"We're not worrying about the seedings," he said Tuesday as the team went through a strength and conditioning session at the Lied Athletic Complex. "We're just concentrating on Colorado State."

The players know they still control their destiny as far as where they finish the regular season.

"This is the biggest road trip we're ever going to take," senior co-captain Kevin Simmons said. "This'll show us whether we're men or what ..."

If they're men, they'll play next Thursday. If they're "what," be at the Thomas & Mack Tuesday.

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