TUCSON, Ariz. — It all made sense before Wednesday, how this week might play out for UNLV's basketball team, how important it could prove in regards to the postseason, how a winnable game against Arizona State would be followed by an extremely difficult one at Arizona. How sweeping the Sun Devils and Wildcats might secure the sort of non-conference resume that would warrant an at-large NCAA Tournament berth come March should the Rebels not win the Mountain West Tournament on their own floor.
And then, in the span of 20 forgettable minutes, everything changed.
UNLV blew all of a 12-point halftime lead against ASU and walked off the Thomas & Mack Center court a dejected 66-56 loser, not the sort of result or effort that would impress any selection committee member watching.