The Nevada Sagebrush

Ailing Pack seeks first road victory

By: Juan López

Monday, November 30, 2009 - 11:42 PM

With five games in the books for the men’s basketball team so far, one thing is evident: When the Wolf Pack shoots the ball well, it wins. But bad shooting leads to losses.

In its two wins this year, Nevada has shot a combined 57.4 percent from the floor, and in both games it has been better than 52 percent from the field. In its three losses, the Wolf Pack is just 38.3 percent from the field and hasn’t shot better than 42 percent.

It’s obvious, right? Put the ball in the hoop more and win.

Well, Nevada better hope its offense is on this week when it takes on hot-shooting Pacific, whose starting five are shooting a blazing 50.8 percent from the floor.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Pacific (4-1) is a balanced team that plays a lot of guys. Nine Tigers average more than 10 minutes per game (compared to six for Nevada) and while none of them average more than 13 points per game, Pacific has a strong post player it can rely on.

Forward Sam Willard is second on the team with 11.2 points per game and is fourth in the conference with 8.2 rebounds per game. He should give Nevada’s post players problems inside.

While Willard is just one of two players on the team who averages in double figures, what the Tigers lack in offense, they make up for in defense. Led by senior forward Joe Ford, Pacific is first in the Big West Conference, allowing only 59.6 points per game and holding its opponents to just 37.7 percent shooting.

Ford, who was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year last season, is fifth in the conference with 1.6 steals per game.

FIELDS AND SHAW BECOMING CONSISTENT

Coming into the season, there was a question mark in regard to whom Nevada would look to on offense other than guard Armon Johnson and forward Luke Babbitt. Last season, no Nevada player other than those two averaged more than 10 points per game.

But this year, the answer to the Wolf Pack’s offensive questions have come in the form of Brandon Fields and Joey Shaw.

The two are averaging a combined 30.4 points per game this season to go along with 12.2 rebounds per game.

Fields has upped his scoring from 9.4 points per game last year to 16.2 this year while Shaw has gone from 7.4 to 14.2 points per game.

Their added scoring has taken some pressure off of Babbitt and Johnson, who together are averaging 35.2 points per game this season.

POOR BENCH PRODUCTION

To have a chance against the Tigers (and the rest of the season), the Wolf Pack’s bench must step its game up.

Nevada’s bench is averaging just 10.9 points per game and 7.4 of those points come from guard Ray Kraemer. The Wolf Pack’s starting five and Kraemer combine for 95.7 percent of the team’s points.

While it’s great that Nevada has four players who average more than 14 points per game, that will not last. The Wolf Pack bench needs to grow up quickly and support their starters.

Juan López can be reached at jlopez@nevadasagebrush.com.