Roden cooks on road as Nevada wins first conference game of season 58-57

BOISE, Idaho (Nevada Athletics) – Despite a strong comeback attempt by Boise State, Nevada women’s basketball weathered the Broncos’ storm to clinch its first Mountain West victory 58-57 Wednesday night at ExtraMile Arena.

Junior guard Audrey Roden led Nevada with a team-high 19 points off 50 percent shooting, her most points in Mountain West play this season. Freshman guard Izzy Sullivan, the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Week, scored nine points in her first collegiate start. The Pack also got a lift off their bench, which scored 18 points led by Kennedy Lee with seven off 75 percent shooting.

Both teams came out with a defensive-minded approach, only combining for seven points halfway through the first quarter. After Boise State scored six unanswered points, Nevada quickly answered with an 8-0 scoring run to take its first lead of the game with 34 seconds left in the period. Boise State hit a layup with seven seconds left in the opening period to take a one-point advantage after 10 minutes.

Boise State extended its lead to four to open the second period, but a layup while drawing the foul from redshirt sophomore forward Natalie Lathrop made it a one possession game. The Broncos continued to stay out in front, but Roden responded with a bucket to cut the deficit to one point. She later found an open Kaylee Borden for a 3-pointer that swung the advantage towards Nevada. Roden once again found her teammates for baskets, dishing out her second assist to fifth year guard/forward Kaylen Banwareesingh for the buzzer-beating layup to put Nevada up 25-22 at the half.After Roden knocked down a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, Nevada went on an 11-2 scoring run capped off by a jumper from beyond the arc from fifth year guard Claire Jacobs. Boise State continued to claw back, cutting Nevada’s double-digit deficit to seven heading into the final period. Lee hit a second chance layup to open the fourth quarter before a basket from Banwareesingh allowed Nevada to stay in front by nine. The Broncos, however, used an 8-0 scoring run to make it a one-point game.

Nevada did not lose their poise, with Roden and Maxie converting layups to maintain a two-possession lead. The Broncos continued to use lightning strikes on offense, hitting a 3-pointer and another basket to make it a one-possession game with one minute to play.

Boise State came up with a steal and had the opportunity to win it with the final shot. Nevada, however, forced the Broncos to turn the ball over on their final possession to help secure its first Mountain West win of the season. Nevada returns to Lawlor Events Center next week to take on Air Force in its annual Salute to Service game Wednesday, January 10 at 6:30 p.m. Military members receive $5 tickets with a valid Military ID. 

Postgame Notes

• Junior guard Audrey Roden led Nevada with a team-high 19 points off 50 percent shooting, her most points in Mountain West play this season.
• Freshman guard Izzy Sullivan, the reigning Mountain West Freshman of the Week, scored nine points in her first collegiate start.
• The Pack also got a lift off their bench, which scored 18 points led by Kennedy Lee with seven off 75 percent shooting.
• Boise State had the final shot following a steal, but Nevada’s defense forced the Broncos to go out of bounds with one second left to secure its first win in conference play.

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