Nevada Game Notes: - Nevada continued the best start in school history, improved to 17-1 with the 85-75 victory over Fresno State Thursday at Lawlor Events Center. - The Wolf Pack has now won 10 consective games and its last 15 regular-season WAC games. The team also improved to 5-0 in WAC play for the first time since joining the league in 2000-01 and won for the 18th time in 19 tries at home at Lawlor Events Center. - Junior Marcelus Kemp led four Wolf Pack players in double figures with 22 points, his 10th 20-point game of the year. Kemp also paced the team with a career-high seven assists (and just one turnover). - Senior Denis Ikovlev added a career-best 18 points, including a career-high three three-pointers. - Senior Nick Fazekas made his return to the court after missing the last two and a half games with a severe ankle sprain. He turned in 20 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes, his 12th double-double of the season. - Nevada returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Las Cruces, N.M., to take on New Mexico State. Saturday's game will tip off at 7:05 p.m. Mountain Time (6:05 p.m. Pacific) and will be televised locally on KAME-TV 21.
Nevada Quotes
Nevada forward Denis Ikovlev on the win and his play:
“It was a good win. Fresno State is a good team. I was open and I hit my shots. I was taking what was given to me. Defensively, I could have played better.”
Nevada guard Marcelus Kemp on the win:
“It’s a big win. Fresno State is a great team. We played great. Any win is special. We want to keep winning.”
Kemp on Fresno State taking long three-pointers:
“We knew they were going to do that and there would be long rebounds and we got a lot of rebounds.”
Kemp on Nevada forward Nick Fazekas:
“It felt great to have him back. The team is happy that he is back.”
Fazekas on his ankle he injured against Boise State on Jan. 8:
“It was a little sore, but it felt better out there than at practice.”
Fazekas on his ankle brace:
“You’re always tentative with an injury and I had the injury on my mind a little bit.”
Fazekas on the win:
“It was a big win for us. To keep climbing up the rankings in the WAC and stay undefeated in the conference.”
Nevada head coach Mark Fox on his team:
“I ended shoot around early because I didn’t like the energy level. We looked emotionally flat and drained.”
Fox on Nevada’s defense:
“They are a very hard team to defend. We were fortunate to do a decent job on Ja’Vance Coleman and Quinton Hosley. Our defense was solid--but I didn’t think it was great.”
Fox on the play of Denis Ikovlev:
“Denis played well. He missed his first three, and I told him to keep shooting. He’s just getting more and more comfortable. It was really key for us to have him score that way.”
Fox on the return of Nick Fazekas:
“He had 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds). That’s pretty consistent for him. It’s really a huge lift for us to have him back.”
Fresno State Quotes
Fresno State coach Steve Cleveland
On Marcelus Kemp’s second half performance.
“When the game was on the line, Kemp hit the big shots.”
On the Bulldog’s play tonight.
“We had 19 assists with only five turnovers, but shot 35% and that’s not good enough to win on the road.”
On Hosley’s inside game.
“Hosley had his shots around the basket but they didn’t go down. Nevada has got size and can re-direct shots.”
Fresno State guard Kevin Bell
On the Wolf Pack’s performance.
“They made the tough shots and we didn’t.”
On Nevada’s strengths.
“They showed us why they are the 13th ranked team in the country.”
On Nevada guard Ramon Sessions.
“Sessions is a smart guard and knows how to run a team. He is tall and a good mid-range player.”
Fresno State forward Dominic McGuire
On the Bulldog’s defensive effort.
“We had some miscommunication on our part, left people open and they made big shots.”
On Wolf Pack forward Denis Ikovlev.
“He played a great game, you got to take your hat off to him.”
