Dec. 3, 1999

Box Score

By JOE MACENKA
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Kaspars Kambala had 29 points and 12 rebounds, and UNLV closed the game with a 13-4 run for a 76-66 victory over Princeton on Friday night in the Food Lion MVP Classic.

The Runnin' Rebels (5-0) gained a measure of revenge against the Tigers and advanced to Saturday night's title game by holding Princeton (1-4) to two field goals over the final four minutes.

The last time the teams met was the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament's East Regional, where the Tigers confounded UNLV with their weaving and back-door cuts on the way to a 69-57 victory. This time Princeton had to settle for holding the Runnin' Rebels to their lowest point total of the season.

The Runnin' Rebels also got 18 points from Trevor Diggs and 11 points and 11 rebounds from freshman Dalron Johnson.

Chris Young had 22 points to lead Princeton, which missed six of its last eight field-goal attempts.

The young Tigers, with 10 freshmen or sophomores on their roster, appeared intimidated early by the bigger, stronger Runnin' Rebels, missing seven layups in the first half and getting outrebounded 22-16.

By halftime Johnson already had 10 points and eight rebounds - in both cases his best efforts of the season for an entire game.

Diggs scored the first six points of the second half to give UNLV its biggest lead, 46-34, before Princeton rallied. Seven minutes later, UNLV's lead was gone, and when Nate Walton converted a back-door cut into an open layup with 8:27 left, the Tigers were up 53-51, their first lead of the game.

UNLV reserve guard Kenny Dye fell awkwardly on his right arm with 8:03 left in the first half and did not return.