1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 June 2023 Basketball none 1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels UNLV Wordmark Logo 1983-1997.jpeg 150 Big West Conference Big West 2 2 35–5 16–2 Jerry Tarkanian 17th Tim Grgurich 9th Ron Ganulin 2nd Cleveland Edwards 6th Thomas & Mack Center NCAA tournament National ChampionsBig West tournament championsBig West regular season co-champions National Championship Game W Won 103–73 vs. Duke The 1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by 17th-year head coach Jerry Tarkanian. The team played its home games in the Thomas & Mack Center as a member of the Big West Conference. They finished the season 35–5, 16–2 in Big West play to win the regular season championship. They defeated Cal State Fullerton, Pacific, and Long Beach State to win the Big West tournament championship. As a result, the received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West region. They defeated Arkansas–Little Rock, Ohio State, Ball State, and Loyola Marymount to advance to the school's second Final Four in 4 years. In the Final Four, they defeated Georgia Tech to advance to the championship game where they defeated Duke for the school's only national championship. Previous season The Rebels finished the 1988–89 season 25–8, 16–2 in Big West play to win the regular season championship. They defeated UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, and New Mexico State to win the Big West tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 4 seed in the West region. They defeated Idaho, DePaul, and No. 1-seeded Arizona to advance to the Elite Eight where they lost to Seton Hall. Season summary NCAA tournament UNLV won three of its tournament games by 30 points, but got a scare from Ball State in the regional semifinal, winning by just two points. In the 1990 Tournament - UNLV at the time had the largest accumulated victory margin (112 points), over the entire tournament by a championship team that played 6 games. They held the record for six years. To date it is the seventh-largest. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/04/04/most-dominant-ncaa-tournament-champions/ UNLV's 103–73 win over Duke marked the first, (and to date, only), time in the history of the tournament that at least 100 points were scored in the championship game.https://quizzclub.com/trivia/which-is-the-only-basketball-team-to-have-scored-over-100-points-in-a-ncaa-championship-game/answer/169528/ Which is the only basketball team to have scored over 100 points in a NCAA championship game? April 6, 2017 UNLV's 571 points over six games set the record for most points scored by a single team in any one year of the tournament.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_final4/2022/Tournament.pdf The Tournament 93 NCAA 2022 October 17, 2022 UNLV is the only team in tournament history to average more than 95 points per game, over six games. In six tournament games, they won three by exactly 30 points, while scoring more than 100 points in each 30-point victory.https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/bracketiq/2021-02-22/highest-scoring-march-madness-games-ncaa-tournament-history The highest-scoring men's basketball games in NCAA March Madness history Ncaa.com UNLV and UCLA in 1965 are the only championship teams in tournament history to win three games all while scoring at least 100 points in each win. (Loyola Marymount also scored at least 100 points in three games in the 1990 tournament, but lost their last game, where they scored 101 points, to UNLV, by 30 points. UNLV also scored at least 100 points in three victories in the 1977 tournament, but their last one was in the Final Four consolation game.)http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_final4/2022/Tournament.pdf The Tournament fs.ncaa.org 2022 UNLV's 30-point margin of victory in the championship game is also a tournament record.https://www.history.com/topics/march-madness March Madness History HISTORY ESPN called it the 36th "worst blowout in sports history".https://www.espn.com/moresports/story/_/id/13665881/worst-blowouts-sports-history-ranks-100-most-stunning-routs-nos-50-26 100 worst blowouts in history: Nos. 50-26 September 15, 2015 ESPN April 9, 2023 To date, UNLV remains the last team from a non-power conference (AAC, ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) to win the national championship, since Louisville in 1986. (Louisville was in The Metro Conference in 1986, which was considered a major, but not “power” basketball conference throughout the conference’s history, 1975 - 1995.) The championship game was UNLV's eleventh-consecutive win. They would eventually run the win streak to an astounding 45 games. That is the fourth-longest win streak in NCAA Division 1 basketball history, and the longest win streak since the longest one ever (by UCLA) ended in 1974.https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-01-19/longest-winning-streaks-college-basketball-history The longest winning streaks in college basketball history Daniel Wilco NCAA January 19, 2020 October 17, 2022 (The nickname "Runnin' Rebels" is unique to men's basketball at UNLV. The default nickname for men's sports teams at the school is simply "Rebels", while all women's teams are known as "Lady Rebels".) Roster 1989 UNLV Runnin' Rebels y David Butler 00 C 6 10 200 Sr y basketball, born 1966 Washington, D.C. Larry Johnson 4 F 6 7 250 Jr y basketball, born 1969 Dallas, Texas Stacey Cvijanovich 5 G 6 3 200 Sr Oxnard, California Anderson Hunt 12 G 6 2 176 So y Detroit, Michigan Travis Bice 13 G 6 4 152 So Simi Valley, California Bryan Emerzian 15 G 5 11 165 So Waukegan, Illinois Dave Rice 30 G 6 5 205 Jr y basketball Claremont, California Stacey Augmon 32 F 6 8 206 Jr y Pasadena, California Barry Young 33 F 6 7 223 Jr Ellicott City, Maryland James Jones 34 C 6 9 220 Sr Cincinnati, Ohio Moses Scurry 35 F 6 7 220 Sr y Brooklyn, New York George Ackles 44 FC 6 9 210 y y Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania y Greg Anthony 50 G 6 2 190 Jr y Las Vegas, Nevada Chris Jeter 53 F 6 8 216 Jr San Diego, California Jerry Tarkanian (Fresno State) Tim Grgurich Ron Ganulin Cleveland Edwards 1989-90 UNLV Roster and StatsRebel-Net.com - Best of the 64 Era: The 1990 Runnin' Rebels 1990 NCAA Final Four program March 1990 Schedule and results yes yes |- !colspan=12 style=UNLV Runnin' Rebels| Regular Season November 15, 1989 yes 1 Loyola Marymount Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV Preseason NIT 102–91Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1989/nov/16/no-1-rebels-overcome-marymount/ No. 1 Rebels overcome Marymount November 16, 1989 February 27, 2018 13,430 1–0 Hunt 26 Johnson 16 Anthony 12 November 16, 1989 yes 1 California Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV Preseason NIT 101–81Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1989/nov/18/rebels-take-their-show-big-city/ Rebels take their show to the big city November 18, 1989 February 27, 2018 11,777 2–0 Johnson 25 Johnson 10 Anthony 11 November 22, 1989 yes yes 1 Kansas Madison Square Garden New York, NY Preseason NIT Semifinal 77–91 10,546 2–1 Hunt 21 Tied Augmon, Johnson 9 Anthony 9 November 24, 1989 yes yes 1 DePaul Madison Square Garden New York, NY Preseason NIT Consolation 88–53Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1989/nov/25/rebels-rise-occasion/ Rebels rise to the occasion November 25, 1989 February 27, 2018 15,116 3–1 Johnson 32 Augmon 9 Augmon 7 December 9, 1989 yes yes 5 Oklahoma 12 Lloyd Noble Center Norman, OK 81–89Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1989/dec/10/stormin-norman-sooners-win-89-91/ Stormin' in Norman: Sooners win 89-81 December 10, 1989 February 27, 2018 11,700 3–2 Johnson 29 Johnson 14 Tied Augmon, Anthony 4 December 16, 1989 yes 14 Pacific Alex G. Spanos Center Stockton, CA 79–65 6,000 4–2 1–0 Johnson 21 Johnson 10 Anthony 9 December 23, 1989 yes 13 Iowa 16 Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 97–80 19,000 5–2 Tied Johnson, Bice 19 Johnson 8 Hunt 7 December 26, 1989 12 Long Beach State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 78–58 18,600 6–2 2–0 Johnson 17 Johnson 14 Anthony 8 January 1, 1990 yes 12 Arkansas 11 Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 101–93 18,853 7–2 Hunt 28 Butler 13 Anthony 11 January 3, 1990 10 Cal State Fullerton Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 94–66 19,010 8–2 3–0 Hunt 28 Tied Augmon, Butler 10 Anthony 9 January 6, 1990 yes 10 San Jose State Event Center Arena San Jose, CA 100–80 4,595 9–2 4–0 Butler 19 Johnson 15 Anthony 5 January 8, 1990 yes 10 New Mexico State Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM 82–83 12,719 9–3 4–1 Butler 24 Butler 11 Anthony 9 January 13, 1990 yes yes 7 Temple The Spectrum Philadelphia, PA 82–76UNLV Repels Temple's Late Charge https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-14-sp-241-story.html Los Angeles Times January 14, 1990 March 21, 2023UNLV 82, Temple 76 https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/01/13/UNLV-82-Temple-76/6030632206800/ UPI Archives January 13, 1990 March 21, 2023 13,206 10–3 Johnson 26 Johnson 12 Augmon 7 January 15, 1990 yes 7 Fresno State Selland Arena Fresno, CA 84–75 10,159 11–3 5–1 Johnson 28 Butler 13 Butler 6 January 18, 1990 9 UC Irvine Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 103–67 18,632 12–3 6–1 Johnson 20 Johnson 9 Anthony 8 January 22, 1990 yes 9 Long Beach State Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA 86–77 7,438 13–3 7–1 Johnson 30 Johnson 12 Tied Augmon, Anthony 5 January 25, 1990 5 UC Santa Barbara Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 69–67 19,061 14–3 8–1 Johnson 28 Johnson 14 Tied Augmon, Cvijanovich, Hunt 4 January 28, 1990 yes yes 5 LSU 16 Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, LA 105–107United Press International https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/01/28/LSU-107-UNLV-105/3593633502800/ LSU 107, UNLV 105 January 28, 1990 March 4, 2018 14,072 14–4 Hunt 31 Tied Butler, Johnson 9 Anthony 8 February 1, 1990 12 Utah State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 124–90 18,000 15–4 9–1 Augmon 34 Johnson 16 Anthony 9 February 3, 1990 yes 12 NC State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 88–82Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/feb/04/rebels-beat-wolfpack-own-game/ Rebels beat Wolfpack at own game February 3, 1990 March 4, 2018Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-04-sp-303-story.html Rebels Forget Their Troubles, 88-82 February 4, 1990 March 4, 2018 18,295 16–4 Johnson 24 Johnson 16 Anthony 7 February 5, 1990 yes 12 San Jose State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 105–69 17,666 17–4 10–1 Johnson 18 Johnson 16 Anthony 9 February 8, 1990 9 Pacific Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 116–76 17,685 18–4 11–1 Young 20 Butler 8 Cvijanovich 7 February 10, 1990 yes 9 Oklahoma State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 100–84 18,780 19–4 Scurry 23 Johnson 15 Anthony 10 February 12, 1990 9 Fresno State Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 69–64 17,885 20–4 12–1 Johnson 23 Johnson 14 Hunt 6 February 15, 1990 7 New Mexico State 25 Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 109–86Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/feb/15/aggies-trail-hunt-109-86/ Aggies trail the Hunt, 109-86 February 15, 1990 March 4, 2018 18,790 21–4 13–1 Hunt 31 Johnson 13 Anthony 6 February 18, 1990 yes 7 Arizona 20 Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 95–87Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/feb/18/order-court-rebels-win-95-87/ Order on the court: Rebels win 95-87 February 18, 1990 February 27, 2018 19,034 22–4 Johnson 26 Augmon 12 Anthony 7 February 22, 1990 yes 4 UC Irvine Bren Events Center Irvine, CA 99–77 5,000 23–4 14–1 Hunt 25 Johnson 11 Anthony 10 February 24, 1990 yes 4 Louisville 16 Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV 91–81Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/feb/24/rebels-dont-get-mad-louisville-just-even/ Rebels don't get mad at Louisville, just even February 24, 1990 March 4, 2018 19,099 24–4 Johnson 22 Johnson 15 Anthony 9 February 26, 1990 yes 4 UC Santa Barbara The Thunderdome Santa Barbara, CA 70–78 6,387 24–5 14–2 Anthony 18 Butler 9 Anthony 6 March 1, 1990 yes 2 Utah State Smith Spectrum Logan, UT 84–82 10,270 25–5 15–2 Johnson 31 Butler 12 Tied Hunt, Anthony 7 March 3, 1990 yes 2 Cal State Fullerton Titan Gym Fullerton, CA 103–85 4,003 26–5 16–2 Butler 26 Johnson 12 Hunt 10 |- !colspan=12 style=UNLV Runnin' Rebels| Big West tournament March 8, 1990 yes 3 2 Cal State Fullerton 7 Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA Quarterfinals 115–93 9,025 27–5 Johnson 32 Johnson 14 Anthony 11 March 9, 1990 yes 3 2 Pacific 6 Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA Semifinals 99–72 10,597 28–5 Johnson 20 Augmon 9 Anthony 10 March 10, 1990 yes 3 2 Long Beach State 5 Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA Championship 92–74 9,607 29–5 Butler 19 Johnson 15 Anthony 7 |- !colspan=12 style=UNLV Runnin' Rebels| NCAA Tournament March 15, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Arkansas–Little Rock 16 W Jon M. Huntsman Center Salt Lake City, UT First Round CBS 102–72UNLV 102, Arkansas-Little Rock 72 https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/03/15/UNLV-102-Arkansas-Little-Rock-72/9331637477200/ United Press International March 15, 1990 September 14, 2020 11,809 30–5 Augmon 16 Johnson 12 Tied Bice, Cvijanovich 5 March 17, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Ohio State 8 W Jon M. Huntsman Center Salt Lake City, UT Second Round CBS 76–65UNLV 76, Ohio St. 65 https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/03/17/UNLV-76-Ohio-St-65/6528637650000/ United Press International March 17, 1990 September 14, 2020 12,896 31–5 Johnson 23 Johnson 16 Anthony 5 March 23, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Ball State 12 W Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, CA Sweet Sixteen CBS 69–67Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/mar/23/rebels-take-bounce-out-ball-state-69-67/ Rebels take the bounce out of Ball State, 69-67 March 23, 1990 March 4, 2018The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/24/sports/college-basketball-unlv-repels-ball-state-rally-69-67.html U.N.L.V. Repels Ball State Rally, 69-67 March 24, 1990 March 4, 2018 14,262 32–5 Tied Augmon, Johnson 20 Johnson 13 Anthony 9 March 25, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Loyola Marymount 21 11 W Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, CA Elite Eight CBS 131–101Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/mar/25/rebels-roll-final-four/ Rebels roll to Final Four March 25, 1990 March 4, 2018Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-26-sp-140-story.html Augmon Is Main Man for the Rebels March 26, 1990 March 4, 2018 14,298 33–5 Augmon 33 Johnson 18 Hunt 13 March 31, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Georgia Tech 9 4 SE McNichols Sports Arena Denver, CO Final Four CBS 90–81The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/final4/articles/semi90a.htm UNLV Escapes Foul End, Downs Georgia Tech B1 April 1, 1990 February 27, 2018 17,675 34–5 Augmon 22 Butler 10 Hunt 7 April 2, 1990 yes yes 2 1 W Duke 9 3 E McNichols Sports Arena Denver, CO National Championship CBS 103–73Las Vegas Sun https://lasvegassun.com/news/1990/apr/03/rebels-rule-ncaa/ Rebels rule NCAA April 3, 1990 February 27, 2018The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/final4/articles/final90.htm UNLV Takes Title Running Away B1 April 3, 1990 February 27, 2018Nevada-Las Vegas 103, Duke 73 https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/04/02/Nevada-Las-Vegas-103-Duke-73/4886639028800/ United Press International April 2, 1990 March 22, 2018 U.N.L.V. Applies a Defensive Clamp and It Works https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/03/sports/unlv-applies-a-defensive-clamp-and-it-works.html The New York Times April 3, 1990 March 22, 2018 17,675 35–5 Hunt 29 Johnson 11 Augmon 7 AP Poll Pacific Sources Rebel-Net.com - Best of the 64 Era: The 1990 Runnin' Rebels1989-90 UNLV Schedule and Resultshttp://www.databasesports.com/ncaab/tourney.htm?yr=1990 RotoWire Fantasy Football, Baseball, Basketball and More https://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/B/Men's%20Basketball_Men's_Division%20I_1990_465_University%20of%20Nevada,%20Las%20Vegas.pdf 1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball stats NCAA Career Statistics Rankings 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings Awards and honors Anderson Hunt, NCAA Men's MOP Awardhttp://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/history/outstandingplayer Final Four Most Outstanding Players cbs.sportsline.com March 31, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080907123518/http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/history/outstandingplayer September 7, 2008 Larry Johnson, Consensus First-team All-American and Big West Conference Player of the Year Stacey Augmon – NABC Defensive Player of the Year (2) Team players drafted into the NBA 2 UNLV Runnin' Rebels Year Round Pick Player NBA club 1991 1 1 Larry Johnson Charlotte Hornets 1991 1 9 Stacey Augmon Atlanta Hawks 1991 1 12 Greg Anthony New York Knicks 1991 2 29 George Ackles Miami Heat1991 NBA Draft https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1991.html Sports Reference March 4, 2018 References Unlv Category:UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship seasons Unlv Unlv Unlv