The Nevada basketball team will start conference play on a high note. The Wolf Pack is coming off a record-setting performance in its previous game, and is among among the best in the nation in 3-poit shooting

Fans will have to get to Lawlor earlier for the Wolf Pack’s next home home game as the start time is a little unusual. The Wolf Pack (8-3) begins Mountain West Conference play, hosting Colorado State (6-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lawlor Events Center.

The game will be televised locally on KNSN/Mountain West Network, with the radio broadcast on 95.5 FM.

Nevada is coming off a 3-point record-setting performance in its final non-conference game, a 105-73 win over Texas Southern. The Pack hit 18-of-36 from the arc in the game on Dec. 14, and is now ranked No. 4 in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at 41.85 percent. For the season, the Pack has made 95-of-227 from deep, en route to compiling an 8-3 record in non-conference games.

The previous Nevada record for made 3-pointers in a game was 17, a number the team hit twice before, in 2020 against New Mexico (17-of-35) and in 2017 against Pacific (17-of-34).

Leaders

Kobe Sanders leads the Wolf Pack in scoring at 15.4 points per game, followed by Nick Davidson at 15.2.

Sanders has hit 16-of-35 from the arc, Davidson has hit 16-of-34 and Xavier DuSell has hit 28-of-63 from deep.

Davidson is grabbing a team-high 6.6 rebounds. Sanders has dished out a team-high 50 assists.

The Rams

Colorado State closed its non-conference schedule with a 78-68 victory over Radford at Moby Arena on Tuesday.

Nique Clifford leads the Rams at 16.4 points per game and 10.5 rebounds, and Jalen Lake averages 14.6 points.

Rankings

Nevada is No. 46 in the most recent Pomeroy Rankings, as of Friday, Dec. 20. Colorado State is No. 106 in the Pomeroy Rankings.

Coming up

• Dec. 21, Colorado State at Nevada, 2 p.m. (TV: KNSN, Mountain West Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
• Dec. 28 at Wyoming, 1 p.m.
• Dec. 31, Utah State at Nevada, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 3 at New Mexico, 8 p.m.
• Jan. 11 at Fresno State, 4 p.m.
• Jan. 14, Air Force at Nevada, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 18, San Jose State at Nevada, 3 p.m.
• Jan. 22 at Utah State, 6 p.m.

Once again, another horrific animal abuse case was reported in the news in Las Vegas last week. An English Bulldog named Reba had been placed in a taped-up plastic tote and left behind at a store to suffer and die in the desert heat. It was determined that Reba died from a combination of insufficient oxygen and heat stroke, resulting in cardiac arrest.

I was glad to hear that they have identified the two perpetrators, who are being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $50,000 bail. Although the maximum time for animal cruelty is four years, abusers are eligible for parole in 18 months.

After receiving an enormous number of emails from the public demanding justice, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson suggested that these types of brutal crimes should require stiffer penalties. Mr. Wolfson said that one to 10 years might be a more appropriate penalty. In addition, Nevada Assemblywoman Melissa Hardy has requested a “Reba bill,” which would enhance animal cruelty penalties, for the 2025 legislative session.

Research has backed up the claim that animal abuse is often a precursor to violent crimes against humans. A landmark study by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Northeastern University found that animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against humans.

There has been progress toward the protection of animals. In 2016, the FBI elevated animal cruelty to its own separate offense. And the FBI is now collecting data on animal crimes the same way it does for other serious crimes such as homicide. In addition, a number of police agencies have jumped on board and have officers who are dedicated solely to animal cruelty complaints.

If you see or suspect animal abuse, report it. Animals are helpless, but when it comes to making their lives more bearable, people are not. You cannot force people to love and respect animals, but it is possible to enforce many of the basic rules of decency and humanity.