The Nevada men’s basketball team tipped off their season with a 91-75 home win against the Sam Houston Bearkats on Monday, Nov. 4.
After a slow start, Nevada, with three new starters, settled into a rhythm. Nevada guard Xavier Dusell opened the scoring with a three-pointer assisted by guard Kobe Sanders, getting the new backcourt duo moving early.
Nevada forward Nick Davidson followed up with a corner three, and then forward Brandon Love powered through defenders for a dunk. Davidson continued this momentum, scoring a layup off a stolen pass and adding two free throws to push the Pack to an early 12-2 lead.
Nevada forward Tre Coleman sank an open three, but the Pack soon eased up. As Nevada’s starters subbed out, Sam Houston seized the opportunity with an 8-0 run. Bearkats guard Marcus Boykin drove in for two layups and guard Dorian Finister capped off the run with a three-pointer, cutting Nevada’s lead to 15-10.
The teams traded baskets as Sam Houston chipped away at Nevada’s lead. Each time the Pack managed to score, a Bearkat answered with an open three-pointer. A three from Sam Houston guard Brennen Burns tied the game at 26 with 4:49 left in the first half.
In need of a response, Davidson provided, sinking a corner three and adding two free-throws, while Coleman laid in a bucket to give the Pack a 35-30 lead. Wolf Pack forward Justin McBride spun through defenders for a putback layup, but the Bearkets trimmed the lead with a late layup and a free throw, making it a one-possession game.
Nevada entered halftime with a 37-34 lead in a sloppy first half, where a 10-point advantage slipped as the team shot 12-31 (39%) from the field. Davidson led the Pack at the break with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The teams exchanged points to start the second half as Davidson continued his efficient night, hitting a three-pointer and a layup. Sanders then found DuSell for another score, extending Nevada’s lead to 52-43 and moving the Pack early.
Sanders dished a pass to Love, who went up for a dunk blocked by Sam Houston guard Lamar Wilkerson at the rim on the next possession. After a series of free throws from both teams, Nevada forward Daniel Foster grabbed a rebound and put it back for two. However, Wilkerson responded with back-to-back threes, cutting the lead to 57-54.
Nevada guard Tyler Rolison nailed a three-pointer off an assist from Coleman to expand Nevada’s lead, kicking off momentum for the Pack. Sanders found DuSell in the corner, and then set up Davidson for a three, pushing Nevada to a 61-56 lead.
A dunk from Sam Houston forward Kalifa Sakho briefly slowed Nevada’s momentum, but Sanders fired right back with another three-pointer on an assist from Coleman, extending Nevada’s lead to 66-60. On the defensive end, McBride came up with a steal, energizing the Pack.
Davidson continued his strong performance with a jumper that pushed the lead to 70-62. After a defensive stop, he hit another, putting Nevada firmly in control at 72-65. Love then made his presence felt with a block on Boykin, helping Nevada hold their lead.
With less than five minutes remaining, Sanders came up big again with a smooth jumper, followed by a steal from Coleman that set Sanders up for a dunk that forced Sam Houston to call a timeout with Nevada leading 78-66.
Despite a three-pointer by Wilkerson to keep Sam Houston in the game, Sanders answered with a layup, extending the lead to 84-71. Sanders continued to dominate, scoring on another layup with just over two minutes remaining, and converting a free throw to make it 89-73 after drawing a foul.
In the final seconds, Davidson added the exclamation point with a dunk on an assist from McBride, sealing Nevada’s victory.
Fueled by Davidson’s career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, along with Sanders’ 27 points and six rebounds, the Pack bounced back from a sloppy first half. Shooting 18-22 (82%) in the second half, Nevada cruised to a victory in the season opener.
Nevada head coach Steve Alford was proud of the team’s offensive performance.
“We started the game 15-2, and the second half 15-2 if I’m not mistaken,” Alford said. “It’s a very experienced starting group. They’re blending, some are figuring out their first time being at Lawlor, so there were some tough matchups.”
The Wolf Pack’s next challenge will come at home as they take on the Washington Huskies on Sat. Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.
James Wolfgang Perez can be reached via email dominicgutierrez@unr.edu or via X @JamesWPerezUNR
