| | March 10, 2000
Wyoming is such a good offensive team. They were making so many tough shots
tonight. I kept saying during every timeout that if we can just keep playing
the same defense against them, they are eventually going to start to miss.
We wore them done a little bit and that's what enabled us win the game.
Tonight we made shots and Wyoming made shots too it was a great game.
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Inside the Locker Room
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Throughout Championship Week, ESPN.com and FANSonly.com are presenting an inside look into the Mountain West Conference tournament from some of the league's top players, including Mark Dickel of UNLV, who is coming off a 14-point, 18-assist performance against Wyomig. For more on the Mountain West Conference, visit the conference's official web site.
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The crowd support tonight was great. Any time you have that kind of support
from your fans, that really picks you up. It picked us up in the second
half. We had a couple guys look tired but when you hear that kind of energy
and enthusiasm from your fans, you can't get tired. Our fans really picked
us up.
We knew we had to maintain the same intensity to beat Wyoming a second time
in three games this season. We went on a run at the end of the first half
and I really think that gave us the confidence to not worry if we got down.
We're the type of team that can come back from big deficits and when we came
out and played the last seven, eight minutes the way we did then we are
pretty tough to beat.
I am so happy for Dalron Johnson tonight. He's a freshman who certainly didn
't play like one tonight. Issiah Epps was no doubt the star of the game. He
hit a real tough layup in the first half and then he made the two biggest
free throws I think in recent UNLV history down the stretch.
It was such a great team performance, I am proud to be a Rebel.
I know our team will be ready to play Brigham Young on Saturday. We're not
going to change the way we play. We're going to push at every opportunity.
For us to be good we have to play great defense and make shots. If we do
that we will be tough to beat.
BYU is real patient and they've got great shooters. Both times we played
them during the regular season they really played well. So we have to come
out tomorrow with even more intensity. I think we've got to prove to them
that we can stop them and if we can do that we'll win.
I think they are really well coached and they've got good players and
understand what the coach wants them to do. They don't beat themselves, you've got to go out there and beat them. They've had a great year and so have
we, and it's going to all come down to Saturday night.
We ran every day in the summer in the preseason in order to prepare to play
three games in three days during the conference tournament. If you want to
be conference champs that's what you have to do. I don't think there is any
doubt that we are in the best shape of any team in our conference and
tomorrow night we are going to prove it against the Cougars.
March 9, 2000
I didn't play too badly against San Diego State. I just didn't shoot
the ball very well for one reason or another. If anything I felt a lot more
rested than what I had been. I am sure (Friday) I'll feel a little
better and the shots will fall.
As a team we match up great with Wyoming, our semifinal opponent. They try
to play exactly the same way we play. We want to run up and down and score a
lot of points and that's how they love to play too. I think it will be a
great match up, there will be a lot of points scored and it will be a good
game to watch.
As far as my individual match up, I feel like I am going against the best
guard in the conference in Anthony Blakes. He is a very, very good player
and I am looking forward to that match up. He's a guard that can shoot, can
handle the ball, can take it to the hoop and it will be a good match up.
The Mountain West Conference Championship is a great tournament and I think
Las Vegas is the best place to hold it. Las Vegas is a great city and we've
got a great arena in the Thomas and Mack Center. Having the tournament here
is a huge advantage for us because we've got the home court advantage. I
think Las Vegas is the best place in our conference to have it and can't
imagine it being anywhere else.
I've had a very enjoyable career here at UNLV. If it were to end (Friday) I
wouldn't have any regrets. I feel like I've been given an unbelievable
opportunity and all I've tried to do is take advantage of it. I really love
Las Vegas and I love going to school at UNLV. I don't think our season is
going to end for a week or two or maybe three. We just have to keep on
playing hard and let the chips fall where they may.
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