Dec. 9, 2000

Box Score

RENO, Nev. (AP) - James Bayless, who prepped in Las Vegas, came off the bench to score a career-high 24 points Saturday and lead Nevada to its first win in four years over rival Nevada-Las Vegas, 80-71.

Terrance Green scored all 16 of his points in the second half and Donny Guerinoni added 13 for the Wolf Pack, 5-1, off to their best start since 1977.

Dalron Johnson had 18 points and Jermaine Lewis 15 points and 10 rebounds for UNLV, which dropped to 3-4.

Nevada trailed by as many as eight points in the first half, but committed just two turnovers the second half against the Rebel squad that had lost only 15 times in 61 previous meetings to its intrastate rivals.

Tied 54-54 with nine minutes left, Bayless and Andre Hazel each scored twice inside on an 8-0 run that put Nevada ahead 62-54 with 6:53 remaining.

Johnson made a pair of free throws to pull UNLV to within 65-60 at 5:13. But Bayless was fouled as he sunk a basket inside and converted a 3-point play to make it 70-60 with 3:43 left.

Lewis hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 73-67 at 1:12 but the Rebels could pull no closer.

Green, Nevada's leading scorer, went to the bench with his second foul less than 2 minutes into the game.

Bayless, whose previous best was 11 points, kept Nevada in the game early, scoring 10 of his team's first 14 points.

UNLV opened a 28-20 lead on Lewis' second 3-pointer from deep in the right corner at 2:30 and led at the half 34-28.

Nevada took its first lead 3 minutes into the second half, 37-36, on a 12-foot bank shot by Green, who made 12-of-15 free throws, including 5-of-6 in the final 2:20.

Kaspars Kambala added 15 points and Danny Brotherson 11 for UNLV. Hazel finished with 11 for Nevada.