The Nevada men’s basketball team (16-7, 8-4) pulled out a 69-59 home win against the Fresno State Bulldogs (11-11, 5-6) on Saturday, Feb. 6. The Wolf Pack took charge during the second half after trailing for the majority of the night.
The Bulldogs controlled the first couple of minutes of the game, securing an early lead of 15-6 a little over five minutes into the game. Wolf Pack guard Vaughn Weems stopped the run by making a 3-pointer, bringing energy back into Lawlor Events Center.
After both Nevada and Fresno State had scoring droughts of over 2 minutes, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 28-21 with shots from forward Gory DeShawn, guard David Douglas Jr. and center Gasper Kocevar.
Nevada answered by securing 8 more points, ultimately cutting into Fresno State’s early lead. Center Joel Armotrading, returning from a chest injury this past fall, immediately stepped off the bench and snagged 2 points at the rim for Nevada.
Nevada brought the heat just before halftime, tying the score at 28-28 after a 3-point jumper by guard Corey Camper Jr and 3 points by forward Kaleb Lowery.
Both teams brought aggressive energy into the second half, with Fresno State briefly gaining the lead again before Nevada forward Elijah Price knocked down two free throws, narrowing the Bulldogs’ lead to 32-30.
Both teams traded baskets until midway through the second half, with the Pack converting Bulldog turnovers into opportunities to score crucial points; by making free throws, open layups and timely jump shots during a 13-0 scoring run, the Wolf Pack pulled ahead of the Bulldogs 53-45.
Fresno State caught up to the Pack by sinking two free throws and a driving layup by guard Jake Heidbreder. Douglas Jr. secured 3 points for Fresno with around five minutes left in the game, making the score 52-53 with Nevada still in the lead.
Weems, one of the leading scorers for Nevada during the game, extended the Pack’s lead by finishing an and-one layup and scoring 3 points for his team. A key block by Camper Jr., Nevada’s other leading scorer, gave him a second-chance jumper shot in the paint, extending Nevada’s lead 58-52.
Guard Tyler Rolison and Camper Jr. stepped up for Nevada when it mattered, making back-to-back 3-point shots, ultimately extending their lead 64-55 with under two minutes remaining.
Fresno State was forced to foul late, attempting to regain control, and sending Rolison back to the line, where he made both of his shots.
Rolison then cemented the win by making a driving layup with thirty seconds on the clock. Fresno State added a few late scores, but it was not enough to close the gap as the Pack sealed their 69-59 win.
Head coach Steve Alford said that he is proud of his players and the shift they were able to make in the second half.
“We knew this was going to be a tough one. I’m just really proud of our guys,” Alford said. “I just thought our defense kept us in… we started getting transition baskets off our stops, which was really good. We got to the free-throw line, which is always good.”
Lowery echoed his coach’s statement, emphasizing the importance of their defense during the game, specifically in the second half.
“Yeah, I would say it’s our defense,” Lowery said. “We had good shots on offense that weren’t falling, but defense was the main key.”
The Wolf Pack’s next matchup will be on the road as they take on the San Diego State Aztecs (16-6, 10,2) on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
