Dec. 7, 2002

Box Score

MADISON, Wis. - Freshman Alando Tucker made just one big mistake Saturday when he had 24 points and 18 rebounds in his first collegiate start.

After leading No. 23 Wisconsin to a 91-74 rout of previously unbeaten UNLV, Tucker arrived at his first post-game interview sporting a vintage Boston Celtics jersey.

"You know, I'm a Sixers fan," said coach Bo Ryan, who grew up near Philadelphia.

That was the only flaw anyone could find in Tucker, whose 37-inch vertical leap is the best in the program's history.

It wasn't Tucker's athleticism but his aggression that impressed UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour, whose team lost for the first time in five games this season.

"He plays with a lot of enthusiasm and the thing I liked about him was he stayed after it," Spoonhour said. "Even when he didn't get the ball in the basket the first time. And he's tough. I like that.

"I'm sure he can jump up high and dunk it and all that," Spoonhour said. But I liked the way he played with his body and with his grip. I like him a lot."

So does Ryan, who replaced post player Dave Mader with Tucker in the starting lineup to better match up with the quick Runnin' Rebels.

"He had earned that opportunity, especially against a team like this," Ryan said. "I don't usually change situations, but this was warranted. He certainly was active enough to do the things Charlie mentioned. He was active. Activity creates some good things sometimes."

Tucker said he even surprised himself with his 11 offensive rebounds.

"Hey, when it comes, it comes so quick and so fast, it just totals up," he said.

And his points added up quickly, too. With Tucker scoring three quick baskets, the Badgers (5-1) raced to a 17-4 lead, enjoyed a 47-31 halftime advantage and led by as many as 18 in the second half.

But the Rebels (4-1) pulled to 73-68 with just under seven minutes left on Dalron Johnson's three-point play.

Johnson and Marcus Banks missed baskets that would have cut the deficit further before Tucker grabbed his own rebound twice and sank the basket on his third try to give the Badgers a 79-72 lead with four minutes remaining.

After Jermaine Lewis' free throw made it 79-73, Devin Harris, who had spent seven minutes on the bench with four fouls, came back in and scored six straight points, sealing the victory with a steal and dunk that put the game out of reach.

Harris didn't deny he was on a mission after watching the action from the 10-minute mark to the 3-minute mark.

"I'm not used to that, so I had bundled of energy," Harris said. "I was ready to bounce off the walls."

Harris finished with 20 points. Kirk Penney added 17 despite going 5-for-18 from the floor, and Freddie Owens and Mike Wilkinson each scored 15.

Johnson led UNLV with 19 points. James Peters added 18 and J.K. Edwards 16. Banks, the Rebels' leading scorer with a 23-point average, scored just seven points on 2-of-12 shooting.

Banks was 2-of-9 from the floor in the first half and scored just four points. Johnson had six first-half points in just eight minutes because of foul trouble.

Tucker, meanwhile, electrified the crowd with a steal and a dish to Owens, who lobbed the ball back for an alley-oop dunk by Tucker that made it 23-12. His tip-in gave the Badgers their biggest lead at 40-22.

His most athletic play came in the second half, when he grabbed a loose ball and called timeout before landing out of bounds.

"He doesn't seem to rattle," Ryan said. "He never changes expressions. He just plays. He listens."

By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer