UNLV Runnin' Rebels

1. Who are these guys? The Rebels lost four starters from last year's Sweet 16 Cinderella squad, including their leading scorer, rebounder, shot blocker and assist man. While they were expected to be rebuilding towards a contending season next year, UNLV has ridden a great defense led by "veterans" Wink Adams, Curtis Terry and Joe Darger. These same guys have helped UNLV lead the Mountain West in three pointers attempted, averaging 23 attempted 3's a game, many of which are H-O-R-S-E style shots. The great equalizer combined with great defense has helped UNLV dramatically overachieve this season.

2. My two moms. Junior forward Joe Darger has shown a knack for making the big shot late in games. However, last year's tournament appearance brought the rather unique story angle of his religious background. Darger is a devout Mormon from Utah who happens to have two mothers and 17 siblings ranging in age from 2 to 40. If he were to ever make it to the NBA, he'd probably go broke on complimentary tickets for his family.

3. The UNLV Tiny-Tots. Early in the season UNLV coach Lon Kruger dismissed 6-10 center Emmanuel Adeife after he complained about playing time. While it's commendable of Kruger to draw a line in the sand, it also left the Rebels with Joe Darger, a 6-7 forward, and Matt Shaw, a 6-8 forward, splitting the majority of minutes at center. Suffice it to say, there are many high school teams with larger front lines than UNLV's less than traditional "4 guard - 1 forward" offense. — David Fucillo