Worst. Game. Ever. Seriously. UNLV wins 46-43
But they did not deserve to. Or maybe they did. It was senior night afterall. Final home game of the season (unless you count the conference tournament played in the same building. In fact, all they do is put a giant sticker over the UNLV on center court. I think they take down the banners too, but who cares, its still in Vegas, and its still awesome for UNLV because 60% of the crowds are always from here. It’s the only way the tourney can be sold out, so deal with it). Before the game, there was a nice ceremony for the 5 seniors who will all earn their degree’s this spring / summer. They walked out with their parents, you know, its pretty typical. That was the loudest the Thomas & Mack got all night. It’s hard to get up to play Air Force when they haven’t won a conference game all season and the closest they’ve gotten has been within three twice (Home vs TCU, home vs Wyoming, and now at UNLV). Nobody could make shots, and Air Force deployed a goon zone for most of the last half of the first half and into the second half, with hip checks, clutching and grabbing and the whole thing. What did they have to lose? They’re 0-14903489320 in conference, why does it matter? Eventually, UNLV found a little continuity in the second half, only to have several brutal turnovers and hail mary 3 pointers go in during the last 5 mins to cut the UNLV 11 point lead to 2. Wink Adams found the gusto to get to the rim for the first time all night… and finish to put the game away, so the entire Thomas & Mack could let out a sigh of relief that we did not witness the Rebel’s at large chances vanish before our very eyes on what was supposed to be a special night honoring 5 guys who helped turn the program around and put it back on the map. Onto San Diego to play the airbrushers and their AIDS patient coach in what is probably an elimination game (from at large consideration at least). Lose, and they finish 5th in a conference that has to pray to get 4 bids into the tourney. Not a safe bet, even in Las Vegas.
