The Nevada Men’s Basketball team (3-2, 0-0) fell 75-71 at home against the UC Davis Aggies (4-1, 0-0) on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The Wolf Pack struggled to keep up in a high-scoring matchup as UC Davis shot 49% for the game and knocked down 11 threes.
Both defenses set the tone in the opening minutes, as the Pack failed to convert on their first three field goals and the Aggies turned the ball over. UC Davis guard Nils Cooper opened the scoring with a turnaround jumper, before Nevada center Joel Armotrading got his team on the board with a hookshot jumper in the paint.
The first half continued to be a back-and-forth affair as both teams struggled to build a substantial lead, trading buckets as the game sat tied at 27-27 with 4:51 to play.
Following a Cooper triple, the Aggies quickly built a 6-0 run off free throws and a fast break layup by Aggies forward Omer Sujalnovic to put the Pack in a 33-27 hole in the dying minutes of the half.
The Pack weren’t down for long, though, as guard Vaughn Weems converted on a driving layup and added two more at the line to bring Nevada within striking distance. Guard Tayshawn Comer added a layup as the buzzer sounded, closing out the half tied at 33.
Nevada guard Peyton White made his mark, coming off the bench as the leading scorer for the Wolf Pack with nine points at the break. However, Cooper couldn’t be contained; He was the leading scorer for the Aggies in the first half, scoring 17 points during the period.
“Peyton, for a freshman, I thought he had a tremendous night,” said Nevada men’s basketball Head Coach Steve Alford in a post-game interview. “We had some guys just have tough nights,” he added about the team’s overall performance.
Aggies guard Marcus Wilson started off the second half with a jumpshot, followed by two free throws for Nevada from Comer, and then a dunk from guard Corey Camper Jr.
After a missed jumpshot by Comer, Aggies guard Brayden Fagbemi snagged a defensive rebound, assisting Cooper in a dunk, leaving the Aggies trailing the Pack by two points.
Comer followed the dunk by scoring two free throws at the line, although the Aggies were able to turn over the ball and score a three-point jumper.
After a scoreless three minutes, the Aggies brought the score to 67-65 after a three-pointer. A minute later, forward Niko Rocak scored another three-pointer. Comer fought back alongside Camper, scoring a triple for the Wolf Pack with just over a minute left in the game.
With 45 seconds left, the Wolf Pack had a chance to take the lead after Rocak missed a deep shot, but a turnover and a missed free throw by Price left Nevada with little room to respond as the clock continued to wind down.
With the Aggies snagging a rebound, they were able to score a free throw, bringing the score to 71-68. Just 11 seconds remained in the game when Aggies guard Connor Sevilla scored two free throws.
Although White was able to sneak a three-point jumper in the last five seconds of the game, it wasn’t enough, and the Wolf Pack fell to the Aggies 75-71.
Nevada maintained their 40% field goal percentage through the second half, while their opponents remained at just under 50%.
“It was a tough one, unfortunately,” said Weems, who played his first game since his recent injury. “Of course, going in, we want to come out of here with a ‘W’, protect home court, but we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
Weems also said that he was eager to get back on the court as soon as he could after his injury, and that it was difficult to watch his team from the sidelines in the Pack’s prior two matchups.
“Being on the bench and not being able to help my brothers out there…hurt a lot, especially after the last game watching them vs. Santa Clara; I couldn’t do anything. It’s just motivated me more to be like, I need to get back out on the floor and help my guys out there- in any way possible.”
The next game for the Wolf Pack is at home on Saturday, November 22nd, where they will face the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (3-1, 0-0)
