ByKathrynBender, Star-Bulletin
The Rainbows' Alika Smith, right, hopes to get off to
a good start in Thursday's game.
LAS VEGAS -- Giant $100 bills dance merrily across a huge screen behind the MGM Grand registration desk.The tinny clang of silver suddenly stops everyone in their tracks under the flashing neon glare.
''I LOVE that sound,'' said a grinning man, who was wearing a cowboy hat the size of Oahu.
Across the street, a lifesize version of the Statue of Liberty spits water, as a transplanted Empire State Building looms in the background.
Surely, a set of false teeth still sits in a pawn shop window down off Fremont Street.
Yesterday's front-page headline in the Las Vegas Sun? "Man Shot In Eye Over Corn."
Did you know that Las Vegas has more churches per capita than any major U.S. city?
Bet on it.
And they welcome chips of all denominations in their collection baskets.
Oh, yeah. Ding-ding-ding. Basketball. College basketball.
Let's handicap the WAC men's tournament, which tips off today at the Thomas and Mack Center.
UNLV (19-8, 11-5) vs. Rice (12-14, 6-10): The hometown Rebels have this morning's tourney eye-opener against the sleepy Owls.
UNLV is coming off a tough 59-58 loss at Colorado State on Saturday, which probably cost them a shot at the NCAA tourney field.
But long-armed Rebel center Keon Clark and the local boys are a lock against the university named after Hawaii's favorite food.
Texas Christian (18-11, 7-9) vs. Wyoming (12-15, 8-8): Riley Wallace and Jeff Portnoy like the Cowboys in this one, especially with the return of leading scorer LaDrell Whitehead.
So I'll take Billy Tubbs' smaller run-and-gunners -- led by Malcom Johnson (18.8 points per game) and Mike Jones (17.1) -- in a close game.
Colorado State (20-8, 10-6) vs. Southern Methodist (15-11, 7-9): Bryan Christiansen (15.4 points per game) should help shoot the solid Rams past the improved Mustangs -- especially from 3-point range.
New Mexico (22-6, 11-5) vs. San Jose State (13-13, 5-11): Don't even think about it, Rainbow fans.
The Lobos will clobber the Spartans, despite their Flying Frenchman, Olivier Saint-Jean (23.8 points per game).
Watch for Kenny Thomas to have a huge game for New Mexico in its warm-up for UH.
OK, the 98-pound tournament weaklings are out of the way, so let's move on to the league heavyweights, who will slug it out on Thursday.
Tulsa (22-8, 12-4) vs. UNLV: This should be a great game, with the spotlight on Golden Hurricane forward Shea Seals, who is averaging 21.5 points per game.
Will the home court help UNLV enough? Not quite.
I'll take Tulsa in a game that might come down to the last shot or go into an overtime or two.
Fresno State (20-10, 12-4) vs. Texas Christian: It won't matter if it's TCU or Wyoming in this one as the Bulldogs are in full stride, especially Chris Herren -- who put together back-to-back 35-point performances against UH and San Diego State.
Herren will put on a show like a tattooed Tom Jones as Jerry Tarkanian wins in the house that he built.
Utah (23-3, 15-1) vs. Colorado State: Same as the previous game. It won't matter if it's CSU, SMU or CIA.
The Utes, with NBA lottery pick Keith Van Horn (22 points per game), are the WAC's glitter guys and they will show why in a rout of the Rams.
Hawaii (20-6, 12-4) vs. New Mexico: Will the third time be a charm for the Rainbows, who will have back-up guard Quentin Gallon available?
Wallace predicts UH will pull it off on a last-second shot.
Gulp. I'll pick the Lobos, but Hawaii will play its heart out in a five-point loss -- which might still be impressive enough to get UH into the NCAA tournament field.
In the semifinals on Friday, I'll go with Fresno State staying hot with a close win over Tulsa.
And Utah will knock off New Mexico, but only by six or so -- not by 20, like their last meeting in Salt Lake City.
Fresno State vs. Utah in Saturday's championship brawl?
I have to go with the controlled and more-balanced Utes, but it will be a tough, physical game that won't be decided until the final two minutes or so.
Then, of course, it's the big roll of the NCAA dice on Sunday.