LAS VEGAS - Trent Plaisted scored 22 points and the Cougars cruised past the Horned Frogs in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament.

The top-seeded Cougars (24- 7), coming off their first outright conference championship since 1987-88, also got nine boards from Plaisted and 16 points from Mike Rose. Conference player of the year Keena Young, the Cougars' leading scorer and rebounder, had eight points and eight rebounds.

With point guard Austin Ainge leading the way, the Cougars used a dizzying display of speed and athleticism to put away the Horned Frogs, who never led.

TCU (13-17) got 23 points from Kevin Langford and 13 from Femi Ibikunle but only two from Trent Hackett 48 hours after he scored a career-best 24 points in a play-in win against New Mexico.

Rose sank four three-pointers in a five-minute span - a fifth was waived off after the official thought it hit the shot clock before dropping through the hoop - to help the Cougars break it open at 57-41 midway through the second half.

No. 25 UNLV 80, Utah 54 LAS VEGAS

Of all the players Lon Kruger has coached through the years, he has a special place in his heart for this one, and not just because he's leading the Runnin' Rebels' return to power.

Kevin Kruger, a fifth-year senior who transferred from Arizona State to play for his father this season, scored 21 points and Nevada-Las Vegas celebrated its return to the rankings with a win against the Utes.

The Rebels (26-6), ranked this week for the first time since the final week of the 1992-93 season, are seeded second behind regular-season champion Brigham Young and are hoping the tournament's return to the Thomas & Mack Center after three years in Denver will help them hoist the trophy Saturday.

Wendell White and Wink Adams each scored 15 points for UNLV, which easily withstood 26 points and 10 rebounds from Luke Nevill.

Kevin Kruger took advantage of a new NCAA rule that allows players to transfer from one Division I program to another and play immediately if he has earned an undergraduate degree in four years and still has a year of eligibility left.

Kruger scored 16 first-half points as the Rebels built a 35-25 halftime lead.

The Utes (11-19) led most of the first half, but after going 8- for-12 from the floor, they made only one of their last 12 shots and never recuperated.