Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

UNLV BASKETBALL:

Adams consoles ‘Mama Wink’ after 26-point losing effort

Senior guard had little help in season-best performance

UNLV Basketball

Justin M. Bowen

Wink Adams slips as he drives in the lane as UNLV takes on San Diego State on Thursday in the Mountain West Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Rebels fell for the third time this season to the Aztecs, 71-57.

One and Done

For the 3rd time this season UNLV lost to San Diego State. This game, the quarterfinal of the Mountain West Conference Tournament saw the Rebels lose 71 to 57.

Did All He Could

In his third game of the year against San Diego State, senior Wink Adams scored a season-high 26 points, but it wasn't enough as UNLV fell to the Aztecs in the quarterfinal of the Mountain West Conference Tournament 71-57.

UNLV vs. San Diego State

UNLV guard Wink Adams reacts to picking up a foul in their game against San Diego State at the Mountain West Conference basketball championships Thursday.  San Diego State won the game 71-57. Launch slideshow »
The Rebel Room

SDSU POSTGAME: Nothing unexpected ...

Ryan Greene and Rob Miech discuss UNLV's 71-57 loss to San Diego State in the opening round of the Mountain West Tournament, which more than likely punched the Rebels' dance ticket ... for the NIT. The guys discuss the lingering problems which could not be cured heading into the MWC tourney, and just how long fans can expect to see the Rebels hang around in whichever tournament they go to.

Beyond the Sun

Four hours after her son Wink’s defeat to San Diego State on Thursday night, Reandre Adams’s cell phone in Houston was still ringing.

“I’m teary, but I’m OK,” said the woman known as ‘Mama Wink’ in and around Houston. “I prayed all day at work. I couldn’t watch it because I was working. Everyone was calling.

“I came home and just cried, and cried, and cried.”

Wink Adams, a senior guard for UNLV, poured in a season-best 26 points, but it was hardly enough in a 71-57 loss to the Aztecs in a quarterfinal of the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Forty-seven seconds into the game, Adams sank a jump shot over SDSU sophomore forward Billy White. Adams howled a bit. He pumped a fist. He was into it.

That was about the only highlight for the Rebels.

Ryan Amoroso answered with an easy layin at the other end 24 seconds later and hit another one, in transition, to cap the Aztecs’ next possession.

SDSU (22-8) led the rest of the way. UNLV (21-10) only cut its deficit to single digits three times, and each time the Aztecs answered with a basket at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Adams said. “We did a good job on offense. We went to the free-throw line and attacked the basket. It was just defense and rebounding, what we’ve been talking about all season.

“SDSU’s always a scary team. They’re so long and athletic, plus they pound the boards. It’s tough to go out with those guys. They did a good job again.”

Adams and his teammates have talked plenty over the past six weeks, since they were 17-4, about letting down on defense and under the boards.

But they weren’t able to improve in those areas.

“You can talk about ways to improve, but it’s tough,” Adams said. “You never know what to say. All you can do is go out and try to do it, individually, and try to pump everyone up.”

Late Thursday night, he had to console his mother.

“You OK?” Mama Wink asked her son the moment she heard his voice.

“Yeah,” Wink said. “I’m fine mama.”

“Well, you keep your head up,” she said. “It’s going to be all right. You did what you had to do.”

“Yeah, mama, I tried,” he said. “I really wanted to win that game. I really wanted to keep the Rebels going.”

He really wanted to cut the net down again, Mama Wink said, after a third consecutive Mountain West tournament championship, but the Rebels couldn’t pull out of their late-season spiral.

He tried to keep the Rebels in the game with 17 points in the first half, but UNLV trailed by 15 at the intermission.

Thursday, it was Wink and (Tre’Von) Willis – who had 11 points and 10 boards – and pray for rain for the Rebels.

It seemed Mama Wink, who was trying to cut customers’ hair at Kut Creations on Tidwell Road, heard her phone ring every time the youngest of her two sons scored a basket or hit a free throw.

“It was like I was one of those call centers,” she said. “The phone didn’t stop. They were saying all kinds of things. He deserves it. He’s an awesome kid.”

For only the fourth time this season, Adams – who went 10-for-20 from the field – hit at least half his shots.

For the fourth time in his career, Adams launched at least 20 shots.

And for the second time in his career, Adams lost three times to San Diego State in one season. That happened as a freshman, too.

The Rebels are 29-2 in Mountain West Conference games on their own court over the past three seasons, and those defeats were to the Aztecs over the past six weeks.

“At the end of the season, you never want to say, ‘I wish I could have done this at the beginning of the season,’ ” he said. “That’s what we’re doing now. We think we could have played harder in a lot of games that we lost.”

It is highly likely that UNLV, with a concert scheduled for the Mack next Wednesday, will be sent on the road for a first-round game in the National Invitation Tournament.

“We’re still in season,” Adams said, “so we just got to stay positive and see what happens.”

Late Thursday night, his positive attitude helped his mother, who looked resplendent in white when she celebrated with her son on Senior Night at the Mack last week.

“He said it wasn’t their time to take it,” Mama Wink said. “He was positive talking about the team, and he wants them to come back next year and keep UNLV on the map.

“They have a lot of good players coming in and they’ll keep Lon Kruger’s smile on his face. Winky is so positive and humble. He works so hard. He can’t do it by himself, but he tried.”

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