Men’s basketball: Hot shooting not enough for Pack against BYU

By: Lukas Eggen

Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - 8:57 PM

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Nevada guard Armon Johnson in a game earlier this year against Eastern Washington at Lawlor Events Center. Johnson scored 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting in the Wolf Pack's 110-104 loss to BYU on Tuesday in Las Vegas. Photo by Casey Durkin

LAS VEGAS — Despite shooting 58.8 percent from the field and a combined 71 points from forwards Dario Hunt and Luke Babbitt and guard Armon Johnson, the Wolf Pack men’s basketball team fell 110-104 to Brigham Young University Tuesday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

After trailing for a majority of the first half, Nevada took a 50-46 lead into half time after a back-and-forth battle, thanks in large part to guard Ray Kraemer, who was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the first half.

“I thought he carried us in the first half,” Wolf Pack head coach David Carter said. “We were able to get that four-point lead because of his shooting.”

However, the Cougars, who shot 58.6 percent in the first half, improved their hot shooting in the second, shooting 67.7 percent.

“They hit some really tough shots,” said Johnson, who finished with 30 points on 13-of-21 shooting. “They’re a good shooting team.”

BYU retook the lead for good in the second half after two free throws by guard Tyler Haws. His pair of foul shots made the score 63-62 in favor of the Cougars. Although BYU would not lose the lead after that, it had to survive a series of Nevada comebacks.

A problem on offense for Nevada (6-5) was its sloppiness with the ball. The Wolf Pack committed 14 turnovers.

“Sometimes we fall asleep and worry about the next thing that’s going to happen,” said Johnson, who comitted a team-high five turnovers.

Babbitt, who suffered from back spasms during Saturday’s game against Wagner, scored 20 points but, according to Carter, was not 100 percent.

The loss snapped a four-game win streak and was the Wolf Pack’s fifth straight loss away from Lawlor Events Center.

“A loss is always frustrating,” Hunt said. “There’s nothing we can do about it now except come back tomorrow.”

Nevada will play Tulsa tomorrow at 5 p.m.

QUICKIE STATS:

Nevada:

PG Armon Johnson: 30 points (season high), 13-of-21 FG, five assists, five turnovers, 3-of-8 FT

F Luke Babbitt: 20 points, six rebounds

F Dario Hunt: 21 points (career high), 7-of-10 FG, 7-of-8 FT

G Ray Kraemer: 14 points, 4-of-6 3-pt FG

BYU:

G Jimmer Fredette: 33 points, 11-of-16 FG, 9-of-9 FT, six assists

G Jackson Emery: 25 points, 5-of-7 3-pt FG

G Tyler Haws: 20 points, 7-of-7 FG, 6-of-6 FT

Keys to the game:

–While both teams shot high a high percentage from the field (Nevada 58.8 percent, BYU 63.3 percent), BYU was 27-of-28 from the free-throw line while the Wolf Pack was 18-of-25.

–BYU’s starting five were 32-of-48 from the field in the game (72.8 percent).

-The Cougars’ starting five scored 95 points while Nevada’s starters scored 90.

–After Nevada led 62-61 with 16:04 left in the game, BYU went on a 20-10 run in the next 6:50 to take a commanding lead.