The Rebels met Duke in back-to-back Final Fours in 1990 and 91. Solid scorer; a starter at any other school. Because they were vicious and explosive, while destroying everyone by an average of 26.7 points. Unsung hero: David Butler of UNLV, one of the toughest and best defenders in school history. Do you have a blog? They played championship-caliber ball. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? After the first TV timeout, Tarkanian switched his defense from man-to-man to the infamous "amoeba" zone. Athletic Trainer. Find out more. 2 under their Hall of Fame coach. "I've found out that it's smart never to argue with him," he said, "and I suppose if I were [Knight] I would pick UNLV to win, too.". The left-hander often backed up Ackles or Larry Johnson depending on foul trouble and opposing team personnel. While no one could have known of the impending streak, the game did attract national attention for a very different reason. All Rights Reserved. Then the NCAA handed down its verdict. But the take away: UNLV won, 112-105. Larry Johnson, a 67 monster of a power forward, with a terrorizing combination of skill and on-the-court fury, picked UNLV as his landing spot for the 89-90 season after a stint at Odessa College. For the second time, Indianapolis was the host of the Final Four, this time at the Hoosier Dome, which would host the Final Four three more times. It was, at a minimum, a pivotal turning point. He went on to express his view that the Rebels, in effect, played by a different set of rules and that the UNLV program should be investigated from top to bottom, up to and including the players' grades, class attendance, cars and summer jobs. Record: 34-1 (18-0, 1st in Big West MBB ) Rank: 1st in the Final AP Poll. Three lottery picks and a Hall of Fame coach. Everything came together perfectly. On February 10, #1 UNLV traveled to Fayetteville to face #2 Arkansas. Hampshire, Marvin There is no additional information to display: Dikembe Mutombo was 7-foot-2, Alonzo Mourning was 6-10 and Georgetown slowed the pace of the game down to a crawl. THIS WAS THE the first Final Four called by Jim Nantz for CBS, and his future broadcast partner, Grant Hill, was a freshman for the Blue Devils. I just feel so happy and fortunate that we got here and were able to win it., Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski: We were overmatched. McCabe, Keshon Ackles was an extremely athletic player who often finished around the basket with authority. No title defense. Wins over Utah and Seton Hall at the Kingdome in Seattle carried the Rebels to the national semifinals in Indianapolis and a rematch with Duke. Theyre more athletic than we are. But if you really want to talk perfection and dominance, its gotta be the 1991 UNLV Runnin Rebels. Richmond became the . With 99 Duke they werent even ranked as the number one team in the country. Fresno State is now 5-4 against UNLV in Hutson's five seasons. From there the gauntlet was thrown, but not before former UCLA ball player Bill Walton wrote in his 1978 book On the Road with the Portland Trail Blazers, UCLA players were so well taken care of far beyond the ground rules of the NCAA that even players from poor backgrounds never left UCLA prematurely (for pro basketball) during John Woodens championship years. It snapped UNLVs 45-game win streak dating to the previous season, including its championship game whipping of these Blue Devils. And in game situations, he had no qualms telling you how he felt. Player Pos HT WT Birth City Dembele, Justin Instead, the Rebels played without their point guard and managed just three points over their final four possessions. Kruger, Carlin UNLV basketball scores, news, schedule, players, stats, photos, rumors, depth charts on RealGM.com . Simple attrition I suppose. Do you have a sports website? Get the 1991 NCAA tournament bracket, scores and more here. To understand just how different it was, consider the following four numbers. Some teams were ranked. This tournament marked the first time a #15 seed upset a #2 seed since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, when Richmond accomplished against Syracuse in the East region. March 2, 2018 2:48 pm MT. Everyone, and I mean everyone, hated UNLV. I dont think they knew what to do theyd never been in that situation before. Radio Broadcast InformationCreighton (18-11, 12-6 BIG EAST) plays its final home game of the regular-season on Wednesday, March 1, when it hosts Georgetown (7-23, 2-17 BIG EAST). A LITTLE MORE than three months after the title game, the NCAA ruled that UNLV was indeed ineligible for the 1991 postseason due to violations dating back to 1977. We didnt know it would also mark the beginning of the end of the programs reign as a national power. The team had only trailed for 38 minutes during the entire campaign. No need. It wasn't. DeShawn Henry. A brutal sucker punch in the OVC tournament stopped the game in its tracks. They put on a show, soaring down the court in transition, and harassing opponents on defense. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. One of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history ushered in the Duke Dynasty and ended the run of one of the most influential college basketball teams of all time. After blowout loss, UNLV refocuses for rivalry game with UNR, Lady Rebels rally to complete perfect run through Mountain West, Its been a blessing: UNLV honors seniors ahead of Utah State game, Layup in final seconds gives Rebels victory over Air Force, A privilege: Lady Rebels celebrate banner with fans after blowout, UNLV hopes practice pays off against Air Forces Princeton style, Lady Rebels want fans to help honor history with banner ceremony. The guy had the power of a post player with the shooting touch of a perimeter man. UNLV point guard Greg Anthony: The only thing that surprised me was that we didnt play as hard as we normally do. Complete roster for the 1991-1992 UNC Basketball team. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. UNLV had its way with UAB. Much was expected of him, but he never seemed to get going. Larry Johnson scored 26. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. Coach K's team stayed reasonably close for the game's first 24 minutes before the roof fell in on them. Video & Recruiting Coordinator. For a guarantee of $75,000, UNLV played its season opener at B.C. The Blue Devils opened the game against UNLV by making their first five shots and taking a 15-8 lead. UNLV chose the second alternative, and other programs that were or recently had been placed on probation by the NCAA were outraged. Koubek, Brian Hurlburt, James All subsequent tournament games played in Atlanta are now played at either the Georgia Dome (since demolished) or Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Tar Heel Times UNC Sports & Recruiting News. They lost to Duke. But he picked up his dribble and passed to Hunt, who was about 30 feet from the basket. These publications were digitized by Digital Scholarship@UNLV staff from copies held in . They don't think we can beat them.'". I wasnt a great college player, didnt go to a great university and never coached at a big-time program. "Let's show UNLV fans and players that we at Utah State University are a class act," USU's president and athletic director jointly urged in the ad. Hinton. Varnado Jr. Bryan Two of the program's prize recruits, Ed O'Bannon and Shon Tarver, promptly withdrew their verbal commitments to Tarkanian and enrolled at UCLA instead. Essence Booker, one of four honored on Senior Salute afternoon, made key plays late to lift UNLV to an 18th straight win in beating San Diego State. The game stayed close for the duration, and both teams showcased skills that had carried them this far. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. ", "We're the greatest team to have not won a national championship. How about Canada? Greenberg added that "Johnson may be the best player in the country, but Anthony is their key.". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Before that St. Josephs in 2004. Duke, meanwhile, won the first of five National Championships (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015) two nights later. When talk began to hit the Wizard of Westwood ears, the typically humble and reserved Wooden quickly spoke that his UCLA teams were better than UNLV, but also quickly recanted in a separate interview proclaiming that 1991 UNLV is up there and no college basketball team is the best ever. Men's College Basketball News. ESPN reported in January of 1990 that Augmon would reunite with his 1988 Olympic team coach, John Thompson, and transfer to Georgetown if the Rebels were ineligible to play in the 1991 postseason. Brown, Josh Bryan Lindl, MS, LAT, ATC. I should know; I was there, ball-boying my way as close the Rebels as possible. You call a jump shooting team getting to the free throw line 23 times to a post oriented teams 15 times better? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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Not an arena it was a bleachers and lines all over the floor gymnasium. Two nights later, Duke concluded its NCAA run by beating Kansas 72-65 to claim the title. Within the span of just 2:43, Hunt scored 12 points and UNLV uncorked an 18-0 run on its way to a 103-73 win. We became a great program at that moment.". Four of Fresno State's 10 wins have come in true road games (three in conference play). "I was pleased we hung in there as long as we did," Heathcote said afterward. We all loved him." (Editor's note: ESPN reached out to multiple starters from that team as well as to one member of the coaching staff. Larry Johnson had 22 points and 11 rebounds while Final Four Most Valuable Player Anderson Hunt scored 29 for a UNLV team that shot a sizzling 61 percent. Zaon Collins, a star basketball player at Bishop Gorman High School and the top recruit of this year's UNLV class, was ordered released from jail Thursday, a . Tarkanian died in 2015.) Either Tarkanian could serve a personal suspension from coaching during the 1991 tournament and watch his team from afar before facing a postseason ban for both himself and the Rebels in 1992, or UNLV could play in the 1991 postseason in exchange for a ban on all live TV appearances and on any postseason play for the 1991-92 season. Many locals can tell you exactly where they were when Hunts shot just missed its mark. Augmon, Anderson, and Hunt had led UNLV to the Elite Eight the year before. The semifinal upset also ended the run of one of the most culturally influential college basketball teams ever. More School Info. The final game on the regular season slate was Cal State Fullertona school with almost nothing to brag about in the basketball department (Leon Wood on the 84 Olympic squad?) Because as a person he was highly intelligent, republican, business minded and was extremely well spoken in interviews. Yeah, we're about to go back-to-back and go undefeated,'" Hill, Duke's starting two guard, says today. Hartman, Tim Buckley, Brandon With their black sneakers, anti-establishment attitude and gold fronts, Jerry Tarkanians Rebels embodied youth and hip hop culture2Pac rocked the schools gear in the"Brendas Got a Baby" videobefore the Fab Five even existed. The Rebels swallowed up the Blue Devils, overwhelming them from the start and cruising to the biggest rout in a national final. He was one of the strongest players in the post with a 36 + vertical, a post-up game, face-up game, ball handling and 3-point range. All either failed to respond to numerous messages or affirmatively declined to be interviewed. Bob Knight wasn't going to go that far, but he did predict that the Rebels would beat the team coached by his own onetime player at Army and assistant at Indiana, Krzyzewski. Director of Basketball Operations. The rodeo came to Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Arena, so UNLV had to find somewhere else to start the season. Hill, Christian Games played in Detroit since have either been at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Ford Field or, starting in 2018, Little Caesars Arena. Gilbert, David Dave Rice: (UNLVs new head coach): Fundamentally sound player who received minor minutes. United States top collegiate-level basketball tournament for 1991, 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, East Regional East Rutherford, New Jersey, Southeast Regional Charlotte, North Carolina, 1991 NCAA Basketball National Championship Game, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments, Duke Blue Devils men's basketball 199091 NCAA champions, 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 1991 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament, 1991 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament, 1991 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, 1991 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament, 1991 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament, 1991 National Women's Invitation Tournament, 1991 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1991 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament, "Florida Gulf Coast vs. Georgetown Game Recap March 22, 2013 ESPN", "College Basketball; Smith Ejected on 2 Technicals", "Fordham's road to NCAA blocked by St. Francis, 7064", "The longest winning streaks in college basketball history | NCAA.com", Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series, 1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1990 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1992 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sports, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1991_NCAA_Division_I_men%27s_basketball_tournament&oldid=1136549342, 199091 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Basketball competitions in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 1991 sports events in the United States, April 1991 sports events in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bobby Dibler, David Bair, and Harrell Allen, This was Duke's fourth (of five) consecutive Final Four trip, the first team to achieve such a feat since UCLA. "I realized I had to play a near perfect game to beat that team," he says. The Duke and UNLV programs went on wildly divergent paths following the game. There is no additional information to display: And Tarkanian had to promise to pursue no further legal action against the NCAA. Check out the detailed 1990-91 Virginia Tech Hokies Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Running their offense above the three-point line created spacing for Hill, who befuddled Johnson with his quickness. Hes covered high school and UNLVs Anderson Hunt scores a basket as teammate Larry Johnson looks on during an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Montana on March 15,1991. Huh? Not really. "We were tougher and more defensive-minded. What to do? UNLV would eventually reach the national semifinal 30 years ago this weekend having won 45 straight games over a period of 13 months. By Ryan Swanson | The Bench Evric Gray: Great college player. He was one of the strongest players in the post with a 36 + vertical, a post-up game, face-up game, ball handling and 3-point range. But what makes them different than, say, 83 Houston, 85 Georgetown or 99 Duke? and playing out the string on another losing Big West season on March 2, 1991. We had been in close games. "Even at halftime, you're thinking we're going to go out and do what we usually do, and it just never happened.". Anthony was a confident player, tough as nails. Thats right I said it. To mimic the Runnin' Rebels' swarming defense -- which shifted between man-to-man and the Amoeba, a 1-1-3 zone that combined ball pressure and corner traps with man-to-man concepts -- Duke starters played 5-on-7 against the bench in practice. "We had something to prove. But what most didnt realize was that, as superb a returning starting five as UNLV had that evening in 91, Duke put on the floor three players (Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley) who would also be considered among the best in college history. An average person they would call all of this better, but any college basketball coach or any real fan who knows the game would call that luck. In addition, Hunt was sensational from both sides of the arc and would lead all scorers with 29 points. Still, those of us who grew up with Jerry Tarkanians Rebels will tell you, theres been no team better in the history of college basketball history than those 1990-1991 Runnin Rebels, even without a championship cherry on top. You call winning a game by 2-points better? We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. KOZN (1620 AM) and KOOO (101.9 FM) will carry all Creighton men's basketball games during the 2022-23 season. Students at Arkansas -- ranked No. Be sure to subscribe to SB Nation's YouTube channel for highlight videos, features, analysis and more. Iwuakor, Michael Although UNLV is becoming one now. "I sure wish they'd given us a multiple-choice penalty," third-year Kansas coach Roy Williams said of the NCAA. "I've never watched the game in 30 years," he says. In advance of the rematch on the Aggies' home floor, Utah State took out a full-page ad in the Logan Herald Journal. Lets pick a winner in every mens college basketball conference tournament. Krzyzewski's team would go on to defeat Kansas in the championship game and earn Duke its first national title. To make things interesting Coach Jerry Tarkanian always scheduled a tough out of conference schedule that, in 1991, included Arkansas (2), Michigan State (4), and Louisville (23), all top 25 opponents at the time.