Jimcs50
02-12-2005, 11:46 PM
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels were 10 pts down with 22.5 secs left. Game over, right? Wrong.....
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The UNLV Runnin' Rebels were just as shocked with their comeback as the San Diego State Aztecs were with their collapse.
Odartey Blankson scored 23 points and Michael Umeh had 22 for the Runnin' Rebels, who won 93-91 in overtime Saturday after making up a 10-point deficit with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
UNLV's Ricky Morgan scored the last three points of the game, making a layup with 50.9 seconds left and one free throw with 28.2 seconds left.
"That was as great of an effort as I've ever seen," Umeh said. "We just tried to stay positive the whole time. I just couldn't believe it. We just wanted to keep scrapping and see what happened. It's hard to believe."
The Aztecs, who led by 18 with 12:28 left in regulation, also couldn't believe it.
"You have to make a play and we didn't do that," coach Steve Fisher said. "Here we are with our heads between our tails, feeling sorry for ourselves."
San Diego State's Chris Walton, who's had a rough senior season due to injuries and the flu, had a chance to tie the game with 1.4 seconds left. But he missed two free throws, including an air-ball on the first attempt. Walton also had a turnover on an inbounds pass with 41 seconds left.
The Runnin' Rebels (11-11, 3-6 Mountain West Conference) won their second straight game and prevented a season sweep by the Aztecs (10-12, 4-5).
"Our guys went out there and made a lot of tough shots," UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. "This was a big win for us. I couldn't ever dream of it. You just kind of hope to get to that point where there is an opportunity to win. It usually doesn't happen."
UNLV's Curtis Terry forced overtime with an off-balance 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to tie the game at 82-82.
The Runnin' Rebels trailed 81-71 with 22.5 seconds left after SDSU's Matt Thomas made two free throws. Blankson scored off a rebound with 17.8 seconds left, then was fouled taking a 3-point shot and made all three free throws with 13.6 seconds left to pull the Runnin' Rebels to 81-76.
SDSU's Trimaine Davis missed two free throws, then Jerel Blassingame made a 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left to make it 81-79. Davis made the second of two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, giving the Runnin' Rebels just enough time to get the ball down the floor for Terry's 3-pointer.
UNLV had five 3-pointers in the last minute of regulation, three by Terry, and seven in the final 12:28. :wow
San Diego State's Brandon Heath scored a game-high 29 points, going 17-of-17 from the free throw line. Marcus Slaughter added 25 points and 10 rebounds.
"This was the most disappointing loss that I have every played in," Slaughter said. "A 10-point lead with 28, 28 seconds left. I never thought in my life I would see this."
San Diego State led 55-37 with 12:28 left after Slaughter scored off a rebound. The Aztecs made just two more field goals the rest of regulation, while going 23-of-26 from the line.
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The UNLV Runnin' Rebels were just as shocked with their comeback as the San Diego State Aztecs were with their collapse.
Odartey Blankson scored 23 points and Michael Umeh had 22 for the Runnin' Rebels, who won 93-91 in overtime Saturday after making up a 10-point deficit with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
UNLV's Ricky Morgan scored the last three points of the game, making a layup with 50.9 seconds left and one free throw with 28.2 seconds left.
"That was as great of an effort as I've ever seen," Umeh said. "We just tried to stay positive the whole time. I just couldn't believe it. We just wanted to keep scrapping and see what happened. It's hard to believe."
The Aztecs, who led by 18 with 12:28 left in regulation, also couldn't believe it.
"You have to make a play and we didn't do that," coach Steve Fisher said. "Here we are with our heads between our tails, feeling sorry for ourselves."
San Diego State's Chris Walton, who's had a rough senior season due to injuries and the flu, had a chance to tie the game with 1.4 seconds left. But he missed two free throws, including an air-ball on the first attempt. Walton also had a turnover on an inbounds pass with 41 seconds left.
The Runnin' Rebels (11-11, 3-6 Mountain West Conference) won their second straight game and prevented a season sweep by the Aztecs (10-12, 4-5).
"Our guys went out there and made a lot of tough shots," UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. "This was a big win for us. I couldn't ever dream of it. You just kind of hope to get to that point where there is an opportunity to win. It usually doesn't happen."
UNLV's Curtis Terry forced overtime with an off-balance 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to tie the game at 82-82.
The Runnin' Rebels trailed 81-71 with 22.5 seconds left after SDSU's Matt Thomas made two free throws. Blankson scored off a rebound with 17.8 seconds left, then was fouled taking a 3-point shot and made all three free throws with 13.6 seconds left to pull the Runnin' Rebels to 81-76.
SDSU's Trimaine Davis missed two free throws, then Jerel Blassingame made a 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left to make it 81-79. Davis made the second of two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, giving the Runnin' Rebels just enough time to get the ball down the floor for Terry's 3-pointer.
UNLV had five 3-pointers in the last minute of regulation, three by Terry, and seven in the final 12:28. :wow
San Diego State's Brandon Heath scored a game-high 29 points, going 17-of-17 from the free throw line. Marcus Slaughter added 25 points and 10 rebounds.
"This was the most disappointing loss that I have every played in," Slaughter said. "A 10-point lead with 28, 28 seconds left. I never thought in my life I would see this."
San Diego State led 55-37 with 12:28 left after Slaughter scored off a rebound. The Aztecs made just two more field goals the rest of regulation, while going 23-of-26 from the line.