[NEVADA ATHLETICS RELEASE]
RENO, Nev. – Kenan Blackshear scored a game-high 19 factors on simply 9 pictures, Will Baker chipped in 17 of his personal, and Jarod Lucas scored all 13 of his factors within the second half, because the College of Nevada Males’s Basketball group earned a 64-56 victory over UC San Diego.
With the win, Nevada strikes to 9-3 total on the season, together with an ideal report of 5-0 on the Lawlor Occasions Heart.
Blackshear had one other distinctive outing for the Pack, scoring 19 factors on a stellar 7-9 capturing from the sphere, whereas additionally knocking down 5 rebounds, dispensing 4 assists, and recording a game-high two steals and two blocks. Over Nevada’s previous three video games, Blackshear has scored 61 factors, marking essentially the most factors over a three-game stretch all through his profession.
Baker was dominant all evening on the offensive finish of the ground, placing up 17 factors on 6-10 capturing from the sphere. Baker’s capability to be a three-level scorer was on full show all through the night, because the redshirt-junior continued to attain at will in an abundance of the way in the course of the recreation.
Lucas had an outstanding second half for the Pack, placing up 13 factors within the interval on 4-7 capturing from the sphere and 4-5 from the free throw line.
Junior ahead Tre Coleman had an all-around sensational efficiency for Nevada all through the evening, scoring 9 factors on 4-7 capturing, along with grabbing six rebounds, recording three assists, and incomes one steal. Coleman additionally managed to restrict UC San Diego’s main scorer, Bryce Pope, to only 5-13 capturing from the sphere for the sport, as Coleman as soon as once more displayed his phenomenal defensive skills.
Freshman Darrion Williams led Nevada in rebounding within the recreation, knocking down 10 boards within the contest. Williams additionally completed the sport tied for first on the group in plus/minus, as Nevada outscored UC San Diego by 11 factors in 34 minutes whereas he was on the court docket.
The Pack had an immaculate defensive efficiency within the second half, limiting the Tritons to 35.7 % capturing from the sphere, together with an abysmal mark of 16.7 % from three, as Nevada held them to only 22 factors within the interval.
First Half
After falling behind 3-0 to start the sport, Blackshear made a tricky pull-up leap shot after which discovered Coleman in transition, who drained a 3-pointer, giving the Pack an early 5-3 benefit.
The 2 groups went backwards and forwards over the subsequent 4 minutes, and the Pack fell behind 11-10; however, they responded with a fast 5-0 run to take a four-point lead with 12 and a half minutes to go within the first half.
The back-and-forth play continued over the subsequent seven minutes, as Nevada was unable to create separation from the Tritons, however the Pack by no means trailed over the stretch.
With simply over 5 minutes remaining within the first half, UC San Diego recaptured the lead for the primary time because the 13:08 mark, as they held a 23-22 benefit over the Pack. The Tritons outscored Nevada by 4 factors all through the rest of the interval, as Nevada trailed 29-34 on the break.
Second Half
Lucas scored back-to-back buckets to start the second half, adopted by a transition layup from
Coleman, recapturing the lead for Nevada lower than two minutes into the interval.
Neither group led by greater than two factors over the subsequent eight minutes of gametime, as each squads have been unable to create separation from the opposite. With 10:22 to go within the recreation, Lucas knocked down two free throws to present Nevada a 47-44 lead.
UC San Diego was capable of rating on their subsequent possession; nonetheless, Baker hit a leap shot within the paint to push the lead again to 3. Nevada then compelled UC San Diego into a foul shot, and Lucas hit one other robust leap shot to increase the Pack’s result in 5, which was their largest lead of the competition at that cut-off date.
The Tritons minimize the result in only one level two completely different instances over the subsequent 4 minutes; however, Blackshear and Baker got here up with huge buckets every time to forestall UC San Diego from retaking the lead whereas additionally killing their momentum.
After a Baker bucket within the paint gave Nevada a 55-52 lead with simply 5:20 to play, the 2 groups went scoreless over the subsequent minute and a half, earlier than Lucas hit the most important shot of the evening –a 3-pointer in transition– giving the Pack a six-point benefit with 3:30 to play.
Nevada shut down UC San Diego over the ultimate three and a half minutes of motion, as they went on to safe the 64-56 victory.
Notable Stats:
- Nevada’s 9-3 begin marks Head Coach Steve Alford‘s greatest begin by means of 12 video games in his 4 seasons on the helm of this system.
- Nevada outrebounded UC San Diego, 39-32.
- The Pack recorded 12 assists on 22 made subject targets.
- Nevada outscored the Tritons in transition, 11-2.
- Nevada held the lead for over 27 minutes all through the sport.
- Darrion Williams has now tallied double-digit rebounds in 4 video games this season.
- Tre Coleman’s six rebounds and 4 assists matched his earlier season highs.
- Over Nevada’s previous three video games, Kenan Blackshear is averaging 20.3 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per recreation.
- Will Baker completed the competition with a plus/minus of +11 in 26 minutes of play.
Up Subsequent
Nevada returns to the court docket subsequent Wednesday, December 21, as they’re set to host Norfolk State at 2 p.m.
Single-Recreation Tickets on Sale Now
Single-game tickets for Nevada males’s basketball house contests can be found at www.mynevadatickets.com. Followers may additionally buy single-game tickets for the season by cellphone at 775-348-PACK (7225). Those that have questions or want help may additionally contact the ticket workplace by cellphone or by emailing wolfpackticketinfo@unr.edu.
Observe The Pack
Observe Nevada Males’s Basketball on social media at @NevadaHoops (Twitter), @nevadahoops (Instagram), and on Fb at @NevadaMBB.