New team, new attitude, new venue and new outlook — everything Tuesday night in Memorial Coliseum pointed to a second chance for the UK men’s basketball team after their 70-60 win over Nevada-Las Vegas in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

These Cats hustled, played better defensive and hit the boards — offensively and defensively — a lot better than they had been. After weeks of sluggish Southeastern Conference play, UK took it to UNLV in a way that many hadn’t seen since January.

Playing in front of 8,327 (considerably less than the 24,000 Rupp Arena holds), UK looked loose, and it showed on the court. The Cats held a 12-point lead at halftime, which ballooned into a 20-point lead before finishing at a 10-point win. The Cats outrebounded the Running Rebels. They also had more assists than turnovers, a large accomplishment for this turnover-prone team.

“The offense was clicking,” sophomore Patrick Patterson said. “Everyone was hitting shot and having fun. You could see it in everyone’s faces.”

Hardly ever does a crowd play such a huge role in a game, but the faithful that packed Memorial Coliseum lifted the Cats well before the opening tip. The crowd was so effective, that UK should look into having one game, regular season or exhibition, in Memorial Coliseum every year. It would probably never happen, but tonight’s results only help to re-enforce that idea.

“It was a great crowd,” Patterson said. “Very active. I could see people standing in the first few rows. We played harder out there, dove for more balls and had fun.”

Instead of the usual solemn faces and curt answers, UK head coach Billy Gillispie, Patterson and junior Jodie Meeks cracked smiles on multiple occasions during the post-game news conference. Patterson had a laugh about Perry Stevenson’s monster dunk in the second half. Gillispie had his trademark smirk — a sure sign that he’s in a better mood.

Tuesday night, there seemed to be a whole new team with a brand team outlook on their season. Gone were the ugly losses, the negativity surrounding the team and the massive storm cloud that had amassed overhead. Smiles, laughter and hustle took their places.

Things were hardly perfect, though. UNLV used a 19-5 second-half run to cut UK’s lead to six at one point. But instead of losing their composure, the Cats grabbed two quick turnovers and solidified their win. It was a quick reminder that not everything is fixed on this team, but it’s improving.

“You can still see the immaturity,” Gillispie said. “Having a 20-point lead and we don’t contest shots and it turns into a six-point lead.

“These guys are very young, that’s the only reason why we didn’t make (the NCAA Tournament).”

It wouldn’t have been out of the blue to watch this UK squad refuse to shallow the bitter pill of the NIT and be a first-round causality. Instead, they young team is trying to make the best of it. They took step one Tuesday night. Step two comes in their second round game, either at Creighton or home against Bowling Green, depending on who wins between the two teams.

The Cats have an advantage in facing teams that won’t have the experience against UK or enough time to watch extensive game tape. They have a new outlook, with almost zero pressure on their backs. When everyone expects you to go to the NCAA Tournament and you don’t, then anything extra is just a bonus. The players realized this.

So don’t be shocked if you see these players (and Gillispie) flash a few smiles. They already disappointed a rabid fan base. They’re young and have almost nothing to lose, so why not have some fun?

UK did have fun on Tuesday night in a different venue, with 8,000-plus truly dedicated fans and a new outlook on the remaining season.

“We advanced in postseason play,” Patterson said. “We get to play another game. We’re having fun and want to keep this train rolling.”

The wheels are in motion.

RELATED LINKS: Cats defeat UNLV, extend postseason run in NIT

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