AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — UNLV were warming up about 45 minutes before Tuesday’s game as if the Rebels were preparing for a preseason scrimmage.
They not only were getting ready to play one of the worst basketball teams in the Mountain West, the Rebels also were just a month removed from blasting this same Air Force team at the Thomas & Mack Center.
But the Falcons got UNLV’s attention, and the Rebels — sloppy for most of the night — finally got serious.
The tone had been set, however, and the Falcons made the plays down the stretch to beat the Rebels 79-74 at Clune Arena.