4,000 attend Jerry Tarkanian tribute in Las Vegas arena

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, spared no effort to honor Jerry Tarkanian at a public tribute Sunday in the Las Vegas arena where he coached.

Tarkanian, who built UNLV into a basketball power and led the Runnin’ Rebels to the 1990 NCAA championship, died Feb. 11 at the age of 84.

The Las Vegas Sun reports (http://bit.ly/1N6S0pr ) UNLV brought out the Rebels national championship trophy, arranged for a Frank Sinatra impersonator to sing “My Way” and closed with a fireworks show.

Former players for Tarkanian at UNLV, Fresno State and Long Beach State joined a crowd of about 4,000 during the two-hour ceremony at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Kentucky coach John Calipari, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and ESPN personality Dick Vitale praised Tarkanian in recorded messages.

UNLV Athletics Director Tina Kunzer-Murphy called Tarkanian “the greatest Rebel of all time.”