Dec 29, 2001

Box Score

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Junior point guard Marcus Banks scored 29 points as UNLV dominated Tennessee State, 101-83, on Friday night.

For UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour, it marked his 500th game as an NCAA Division I coach. He has a career record of 325-175 in 17 seasons.

The Rebels (6-4) outscored the Tigers 60-49 in the second half and had a 30-point lead, 88-58, with just under 8 minutes remaining.

Banks, who also had six assists and five steals, was one of four Rebels in double-figures: Lou Kelly scored 21 points, Dalron Johnson added 19 and Chris Richardson 10. Johnson also pulled down 10 rebounds.

Kyle Ralston led the Tigers (3-7) with 20 points. Josh Cooperwood had 12 and Garrett Richardson and Arvid Caldwell each added 11.

UNLV shot 58 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. The Rebels claimed the lead for good at 14-13 with 14:27 left in the first half when Banks scored a layup off a Kelly assist.

In the next 2:56, the Rebels went on a 10-1 run and took a 24-14 lead. The Tigers soon trailed 31-19 but closed to 33-32 with a 13-2 run late in the first half. Ralston scored five points in that span.

UNLV closed out the final 3:19 of the first half with an 8-2 run and took a 41-34 lead at intermission.