Kobe Bryant’s Death Felt At UNLV-San Diego State Game Sunday As Moment Of Silence Held For Ex-Lakers Legend; UNLV Loses To Unbeaten No. 4 SD State, 71-67
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
It was 50 minutes before UNLV was going to play an undefeated, number-four-in-the-nation San Diego State team and the security guard met me at the Thomas & Mack Center tunnel with a, “Did you hear about Kobe?” Inside the media room ten minutes later, a guy grabbed his pizza and told me, “Can’t believe about Kobe.”
The shocking news of Bryant’s death was kick in the stomach for fans attending the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels basketball game. The crowd was bigger and the traffic in the Thomas & Mack Center parking lot was thicker than usual for a game that matched a resurgent UNLV squad and a San Diego State team that was the last undefeated college basketball club. UNLV reported attendance at 12,287.
With the Vegas Golden Knights not in Las Vegas until Feb. 8 and the major Las Vegas Raiders and NFL Draft news from last week digested by now, UNLV’s men’s basketball game was soaking up the market’s spotlight.
But the news of Bryant being one of nine passengers killed in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles was an emotional stunner for the fans piling into the 17,000-seat arena that has housed small crowds for UNLV games this season. Bryant was a 41-year-old father of four who has visited Las Vegas to attend WNBA Lass Vegas Aces games. He has won an Oscar for a movie short and was in the news just yesterday when Lakers star LeBron James passed Bryant for third place on the NBA all-time scoring list.
TMZ reported Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria, known as GiGi, was also traveling in the helicopter and died in the crash. TMZ said father and daughter were heading to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice.
About ten minutes before tip-off, there was a moment of silence for Bryant as his image was displayed on the arena center scoreboard.
“We love you Kobe,” a voice yelled in the lower bowl.
Then, there were chants of “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe,” after the moment of silence.
Even former President Barack Obama offered words on Twitter:
UNLV players Marvin Coleman and Bryce Hamilton (from Pasadena, California) said they were aware of Bryant’s death. But they noted they had to focus on playing San Diego State. Hamilton scored 29 of UNLV’s 67 points. Coleman scored 11.
“He’s a basketball icon,”UNLV coach T.J. Otzelberger said at his postgame press conference of Bryant. “A lot of the guys look up to him.”
Here’s a summary of how the sports world responded to the loss of Bryant.
It was the biggest home crowd for UNLV. Lines extended from concessions stands on the main concourse and the lower bowl did not have as many open red seats as early season games.
The Rebs trailed San Diego State, 34-28, at the half.
UNLV worked to tie the score at 45 in the second half. But San Diego State surged ahead to held on for the 71-67 win and moved to 21-0 on the season. The fourth-ranked Aztecs are college basketball’s last unbeaten team.
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Las Vegas responded to the tragic news about Bryant. Circa Sports in downtown, for example, closed its NBA betting, tweeting, “For everyone asking, yes, our NBA betting menu is closed for the remainder of the day and will reopen tomorrow at 8am.”
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