"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.". H Waldman: Smart player with solid 3-point shot and quality passing. Duke's game plan worked from the opening tip, with the Blue Devils hitting their first five shots for a 13-5 lead. McCaffrey, Bobby
Armed with length, leaping ability and creativity, Augmon usually converted difficult shots with ease. 1 in what would become the fourth-longest win streak in the history of Division I men's basketball was recorded at Utah State on March 1, 1990. Duke assurance grew with every break they caught in the second half: Ackles picked up his fourth foul minutes after halftime, an ankle injury hobbled his backup, Elmore Spencer. John Bishop and Tyler Clement will call the action. The game turned when UNLV point guard Greg Anthony fouled out with 3:51 remaining. Dembele, Justin
1 UNLV Runnin' Rebels during this 1990-91 season, and he was afforded a special seat for the contest. An Ackles tip-in on the ensuing possession pushed the lead to five, but UNLV was disjointed without their point guard and Duke went on a 6-0 run to pull ahead 77-76. After the game, Miller said simply of UNLV, "They need to go to the NBA. UNLV defeated the Aggies 84-82 thanks in part to two technical fouls called on the Utah State crowd. And the big fourAnderson, Augmon, Hunt, and Johnsonwere all coming back. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. There is no additional information to display. UNLVs roster included three of the eventual top 12 picks in the 1991 NBA Draft: Larry Johnson (first overall), Stacey Augmon (9th) and Greg Anthony (12th). Bobby Joyce: Great junior college player. Williams, Jordan
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 . The Runnin' Rebels were the defending national champions on a 45-game winning streak. For the game, Fullerton nearly doubled its average attendance. West Boys Roster. The team blitzed through the regular season. 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. Amazingly these same sports writers who have jumped on Tarkanian throughout his coaching career, especially after his team lost to Duke in 1991, either havent or only lightly brushed the Sam Gilbert connection to Woodens legacy. The Lions were making a storybook tournament run in the wake of the tragic death of Hank Gathers, but UNLV ended that story with an easy 131-101 victory. Fresno State enters having made 76.1 percent of its free throws (289-380), which currently would eclipse the school record for single-season free throw percentage (74.2 percent, 484-652, 1991-92). 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. Tark played everyone. Stacey Augmon, who had set off an impromptu autograph mob scene on the campus of UBC the night before, opened the game with a thunderous dunk. Hamm Jr. Reece
Almost everything to say about this team has been said. When writers praised his team's valiant effort after the game, John Thompson was having none of it: "We're not in the moral-victory business at Georgetown.". 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. Duke was 30-7 and had won the Midwest region as the No. But if you really want to talk perfection and dominance, it's gotta be the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Hunt totaled 29 points for the game and was named Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. There was no way we were going to beat them. Former KU player Milt Newton called the NCAA's decision on UNLV "gutless and spineless.". Not an arena it was a bleachers and lines all over the floor gymnasium. The NCAA had announced in August 1990 that due to recruiting violations committed by Tarkanian and UNLV beginning in 1977 (yes, 77), the school would be banned from the 1991 NCAA Championship. UAB did the best it could. DePaul's appearance is, as of 2022, the last appearance of an independent team in the tournament. Spencer was armed with a soft touch around the basket, effective rebounding and solid passing with true center size. Buckley, Christian
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. Iwuakor, Michael
Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Until 48 hours before the season tipped off, UNLV was ineligible to defend its National title. But the committee saw the matter differently and imposed the ban on postseason play for 1991, making UNLV . If ever there has been a coach unintimidated by the NCAA it was Jerry Tarkanian. On November 29, 1990, Jerry Tarkanianwho was already in Canada for the teams opening gamereceived a phone call from UNLV President Robert Maxon. People can try to deny this, but UNLV was like the Yankees in baseball, the Notre Dame of college football and the Mike Tyson of boxing. 1988 Men's . The tournament also returned to Charlotte in 1991, this time to the new Charlotte Coliseum, then the off-campus home of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team. UNLV beat in-state rival Nevada by 50. Thus concluded UNLVs perfect regular season. I just feel so happy and fortunate that we got here and were able to win it., Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski: We were overmatched. Tarkanian died in February 2015 at the age of 84. Former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton had by this time become a vocal fan of the No. The 1990 UNLV Runnin' Rebels are regarded as one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. More School Info. For the first time, CBS Sports showed all 63 tournament games. 4,032 fans showed up to see the Rebels cruise to a 104-83 win. After a 113 to 64 humiliation of Fresno State, UNLV stood at 19-0. No post season for the Rebels. Best NCAA Tournament Player: Was it Carmelo Anthony or Christian Laettner? But unlike Conference USA with its marginal prospects, the Big West had several solid pro prospects in Randy Brown, Cedric Ceballos, Lucious Harris and Byron Russell. As the game wore on at timeouts, at halftime we were like, Yo, we can win this.'". Asked at the Final Four news conference about his mentor's comments, Krzyzewski laughed it off. After the first TV timeout, Tarkanian switched his defense from man-to-man to the infamous "amoeba" zone. Equally impressive was Augmons ability to finish in transition. This tournament adopted the NBA's 10ths-second timer during the final minute of each period in all arenas. Title. Yeah, we're about to go back-to-back and go undefeated,'" Hill, Duke's starting two guard, says today. All rights reserved. You call holding two All-Americans in Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon to a combined 16 points better? Duke led 79-77 with 12.7 seconds left in the game. Georgia Tech, with Kenny Anderson and Dennis Scott, gave UNLV a game in the Final Four, but UNLV pulled out a 90-81 victory. Christian Laettner, a progenitor of the stretch big, further opened up the court with long jump shots. Point guard Greg Anthony skillfully ran the offense often pounding the ball to Johnson, the college Player of the Year, or finding Anderson Hunt behind the three-point arc. ", The Rebels negated coach Nolan Richardson's vaunted "40 minutes of hell" full-court press by repeatedly firing outlet passes to a streaking Anderson Hunt for still another fast-break dunk. This is a discussion on PS3 NCAA Basketball 10/March Madness Legacy: 2020-21 and Classic Team Rosters within the EA Sports NCAA Basketball Rosters forums. "I think it's the best a team has ever played against me," Krzyzewski said afterward. And many still question the charging call that knocked him from the game with under four minutes to play. Marred records from the Sun Belt, to the American East, to the West Coast Conference, and everywhere in between. The guy had the power of a post player with the shooting touch of a perimeter man. 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. Ranking the top 25 players in the 2021 Final Four, Anonymous coaches scout the men's Final Four teams, ESPN Insider college basketball contributor, First began covering college hoops in 2004, Has written for Basketball Prospectus and the Wall Street Journal. We won some. Instead, the Rebels played without their point guard and managed just three points over their final four possessions. As journalists its just easier to say that bad guys wear black and good guys wear white when in truth the real intentions of men are somewhere in the middle called the grey area. Students at Arkansas -- ranked No. Heres an important piece of the UNLV puzzle. Most werent that great. Always winning. 27-0. Sidney Green enjoyed a four-year career at the university from 1979-1983 and Dedan Thomas Sr., who ranks sixth all-time in assists for the Rebels, represented the university roughly a decade later . Fresno State is now 5-4 against UNLV in Hutson's five seasons. Big West Reg Season Champ. Its simple those teams are mentioned in passing - never with the reverence of 91 UNLV. How could he not take up for what he had built? If Anthony didnt get into foul trouble against Duke, wed almost certainly be talking about UNLVs back-to-back championships today. Jones and Stanford host Oregon. Video & Recruiting Coordinator. The UNLV mens basketball team got a steal and a layup in the final seconds to rally past Air Force on Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center. "It legitimized us as a serious program. Royce
Coleman, Cameron
The team had only trailed for 38 minutes during the entire campaign. Neither team looked the least bit scared. Hide/Show Additional Information For Royce Hamm Jr. Hide/Show Additional Information For Reece Brown, Hide/Show Additional Information For Josh Baker, Hide/Show Additional Information For Trey Hurlburt, Hide/Show Additional Information For James Hampshire, Hide/Show Additional Information For Marvin Coleman, Hide/Show Additional Information For Cameron Burist, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital. Walton went on to write, If the UCLA teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s were subjected to the kind of scrutiny Jerry Tarkanian and his players have been, UCLA would probably have to forfeit about eight national championships and be on probation for the next 100 years. And Tarkanian had to promise to pursue no further legal action against the NCAA. For a guarantee of $75,000, UNLV played its season opener at B.C. I love the city of Las Vegas. 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. UNLV hasnt been back to the Final Four, reached the Sweet 16 just once in the ensuing three decades and hasnt even played in the tournament since 2013. Robinson, Jimmie
March 2, 2018 2:48 pm MT. They played championship-caliber ball. The UNLV men's basketball team, called The Runnin' Rebels, and the women's basketball team, called the Lady Rebels, are NCAA Division I teams and part of the Mountain West Conference. 1991 Georgetown (jd) 1991 UNLV (jd) 1992 Duke (jd) 1993 Michigan (jd) 1993 North Carolina (jd) 1994 Arkansas (gagablagblag) 1995 UCLA (jd) "I don't think we were overconfident," he says. There is no additional information to display:
Check out the detailed 1990-91 Virginia Tech Hokies Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. On that night 30 years ago, Anthony was asked after the game to put into words what had just taken place. Coming off the 1989-1990 title season, UNLV got every teams absolute best shot the next year. Center, has hosted games since. 1991 McDonalds All-American Rosters - High School Basketball - RealGM. But the take away: UNLV won, 112-105. Duke, coached by Mike Krzyzewski, won a rematch of the previous year's . The rodeo came to Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Arena, so UNLV had to find somewhere else to start the season. Like us on Facebook. Baker, Trey
"Beating that UNLV team was a pivotal moment in Duke basketball history," Grant Hill . I wasnt a great college player, didnt go to a great university and never coached at a big-time program. Even the Late John Wooden couldnt stand the idea that the 1991 Rebels were better than any of his teams. Coach K's team stayed reasonably close for the game's first 24 minutes before the roof fell in on them. Rather than no-really-hold-me-back shoving match, Johnson tried a quick jab at Day. The Rebels swallowed up the Blue Devils, overwhelming them from the start and cruising to the biggest rout in a national final. "We heard some of the worst comments," Tarkanian would recall in 2009. They put on a show, soaring down the court in transition, and harassing opponents on defense. Good body strength and rebounder. Do you have a sports website? All subsequent tournament games played in Atlanta are now played at either the Georgia Dome (since demolished) or Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Regardless though, the real possibility of the Rebels putting out on the floor one of the greatest teams of all time in the 1991 regular season, and then not having the chance to go to the tournament loomed. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. In the buildup to UNLV's title defense, countless features had been written on how to beat the Rebels. Coach: Jerry Tarkanian. Why would anyone want to research someone like Wooden who has been built up saintly? Clark, Bill
We could have played them 20 times and not beaten them in any.. Larry Varnado Jr. Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Men's Basketball and Volleyball. Heck, I was a kid living in Canada and I couldnt get enough of Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt, and Larry Johnson (and I guess we can toss George Ackles in there too). 6th Man. Sara Doty. A total of 63 games were played. He gave Duke sophomore Christian Laettner (5-of-12 shooting) fits in the final. Although not on the trash-talking level of todays college players, Anthony was clearly the kind of player that make you regret any trash-talking you dished out. Varnado Jr. Bryan
The largest crowd in the history of Barnhill Arena showed up to do their Woo Pig Sooieing worst. McCabe, Keshon
Huh? Larry Varnado Jr. Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Men's Basketball and Volleyball. These publications were digitized by Digital Scholarship@UNLV staff from copies held in . Saxon, Christin
Daly, Torrence
In their quest to be the first undefeated men's college basketball champion since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers, UNLV, at 34-0, had obliterated the so-called competition: 32 of their 34 victories were by double digits. 1990-1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels Roster # Player Class Pos HT WT . "I sure wish they'd given us a multiple-choice penalty," third-year Kansas coach Roy Williams said of the NCAA. To understand just how different it was, consider the following four numbers. "They were brutal," he said, and that was just what he expected and wanted. The Blue Devils were playing in their fourth Final Four in five years, but Mike Krzyzewski had yet to win it all and his team had a reputation as, in the Chicago Tribune's phrasing, "the familiar bridesmaids." Elmore Spencer: How many teams have a first round pick at the center position on the bench? As motivation, Krzyzewski told his players in a brief aside that his 1985-86 team, which lost the national championship to Louisville, was the best collective he had coached. The Jayhawks had been unable to defend their 1988 national title in Williams' first season because of NCAA penalties. In advance of the rematch on the Aggies' home floor, Utah State took out a full-page ad in the Logan Herald Journal. Stacey Augmon: To say that Augmon should be ranked among the best defensive players in college basketball history is not an idle boast. ", "We're the greatest team to have not won a national championship. Why many fans could not forget David Butler, coaches proclaimed that Ackles, not Butler, was the better fit despite not being much of a scorer. Wooden teams were dominant with NBA greats Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). "I looked over at Brian [Davis] and said, We got these MF's. But in looking back at UNLVs historic season, Im overwhelmed by one pervading sentiment: 1991 was such a different time in college sports. As the ball left Anderson Hunts hands, we naturally assumed it would find its mark, desperate and deep as the 3-pointer might have been in the waning seconds of the national semifinal game. Hurlburt, James
And the change . Sure, Duke was a dangerous team, but pre-season, everyone had them pegged as top 3 team. There is no additional information to display:
Nine players from this past year's team have entered the transfer portal. ESPN and CBS analyst Jay Bilas was a Duke assistant coach for both the 1990 national title game, UNLV's 103-73 rout, and the following year's 79-77 Final Four upset that stopped the Rebels two . Its a record that still stands 5th all time. The left-hander often backed up Ackles or Larry Johnson depending on foul trouble and opposing team personnel. Veterans from that IU roster fielded a high volume of calls from the media that week. UNLVs 91 team remains one of historys absolute best, Prime, socially distanced March Madness viewing spots around the Valley, Nevadans in Congress go to bat for resorts as Biden goes after 'junk fees', Video shows CCSD Police slamming Black teen to ground near school, U2 confirms 2023 MSG Sphere residency in Las Vegas, Father, son open their 17th McDonalds location in Las Vegas, Golden Knights win at Minnesota, but lose Thompson to injury. Missing two starters, UNLV stayed close with Boise State but still lost its third consecutive game Sunday in Boise, Idaho. Athletic Trainer. UNLV shredded Duke with an 18-0 second-half run to leave no doubt as to which was the countrys finest team. Duke, meanwhile, won the first of five National Championships (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015) two nights later. With 99 Duke they werent even ranked as the number one team in the country. George Ackles: The most forgotten of all the members of the 1991 UNLV team, Ackles played the 1989 season for UNLV after transferring from junior college. UNLV had a 23-point lead late in the second half when Tarkanian pulled his starters, and a 3 at the buzzer for the Razorbacks cut the final margin to 112-105. Brown, Josh
Bryan Lindl, MS, LAT, ATC. The foul would go down in UNLV lore as the questionable call that cost the team a championship. 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. Depending on how you wanted to defend UNLV, Hunt could have 15 or 30 points. 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. Arkansas raced out to an early lead. They don't think we can beat them.'". Dave Rice: (UNLVs new head coach): Fundamentally sound player who received minor minutes. Justin Webster called the Rebels 91-66 loss Wednesday to Utah State the worst game hes ever played in during his basketball career. "We wanted to show him that we were his best team," Grant Hill says. Thats right I said it. In it, Dukes head coach confesses that the 1990 team were exceptional and destroyed his team. He then went on to say in 91 Duke was the better team. UNLV's roster included three of the eventual top 12 picks in the 1991 NBA Draft: Larry Johnson (first overall), Stacey Augmon (9th) and Greg Anthony (12th). There was expected to be great turnover on the UNLV basketball roster after a disappointing 12-15 season. Instead, the Rebels overcame a one-point deficit midway through the second half and won going away, 95-75. Theyre more athletic than we are. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Previous Season Next Season. It wasn't. Or write about sports? Yet the Rebels were untouchable, outscoring opponents by nearly 30 points on average. Ill see you after the game, Johnson threatened as the referees pulled the players apart. "Our attitude was that if we keep it close, the pressure is on them. 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). Now free to defend its title, UNLV was expected to confront its first real test in December when it played Steve Smith and Michigan State at the two-year-old Palace of Auburn Hills. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Anthony was icing his shooting hand during timeouts, Hunt was also banged up, UNLV was assessed a technical for protesting a hard foul by Bobby Hurley, countless 50/50 calls went Duke's way including an egregious non-call on Laettner with 1:31 remaining. Christin Hinton. First LJ (who wasnt called that yet) picked Vegas. Big Sky Tournament 2023: Bracket, schedule, scores, teams, and more, Patriot League Tournament 2023: Bracket, schedule, scores, teams, and more, Purdue Mens Basketball is the 2022-2023 Outright Big Ten Champion, Takeaways from Michigans double overtime loss to Illinois. Anthony's shot on the play went in the basket, and if it had counted, the Rebels would have had a 76-71 lead.