March 13, 2004

Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Quotes

2004 Men's Basketball Championships
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo.
Semifinal Game 2 - #4 UNLV 80, #8 Colorado State 73

• Tonight's game was just the second postseason meeting between Colorado State and UNLV, and first on a neutral court. The Rams defeated the Runnin' Rebels in last year's MWC Championship game in Las Vegas (62-61).

UNLV boasts the league's best record in the MWC Tournament at 9-2 and will appear in the championship game for the fourth time. The Rebels have made it to the championship game of the MWC Tournament all four years they were eligible to play (didn't participate in 2001 due to NCAA sanctions), winning their only title in the inaugural contest in 2000 over BYU, 79-56.

• Tomorrow's championship game will feature two interim coaches in UNLV's Jay Spoonhour and Utah's Kerry Rupp.

• UNLV will be the third No. 4-seed to make it to the championship game. The 4th-seed is 0-2 in title games with New Mexico losing in 2001 to BYU (65-69) and the Rebels falling to Colorado State last year.

• Colorado State had its four-game MWC Tournament win streak snapped with tonight's loss.

• Matt Nelson of Colorado State recorded his 10th straight double-figure scoring game with 20 points. He was 5-for-10 from the floor and 10-for-10 from the free throw line. His free throw percentage (1.000) ties for the best by a CSU team in a conference tournament. It also tied a MWC Championships record.

• After being held to a season-low seven points and tying a season-low for rebounds with five last night against New Mexico, Odartey Blankson led UNLV with his 19th double-double of the season (21 points and 13 rebounds). It was his third straight double-double against CSU this season (20 pts/16 rebs and 19 pts/ 13 rebs). In those three games, he averaged 20 points and 14 rebounds.

• Colorado State falls to 1-10 in television appearances this season. Their one win came against UNLV in overtime (89-83) earlier this season.

• Eight of the 10 MWC Tournament semifinal games have been decided by seven points or less. Only two were decided by double-figures (BYU 77-66 over Wyoming in 2001 and UNLV 64-41 over Utah in 2003).

• With the game tied at 56 points apiece at the 8:26 mark of the second half, UNLV took control of the game with a 14-4 run over the next 5:56 to lead 70-60.

• #3 Utah will face #4 UNLV in the championship game Saturday night at 8 p.m.