No. 11/10 NEVADA WOLF PACK (25-2, 12-1 WAC)
at BOISE STATE BRONCOS (16-10, 8-5 WAC)
GAME NO. 28
Sat., Feb. 24, 2007 - 7:06 p.m. MT (6:06 p.m. PT) - Taco Bell Arena (12,380) - Boise, Idaho
TELEVISION: KTVB in Boise only & wac.tv (live pay-per-view video streaming on the internet)
RADIO: Wolf Pack Sports Network (ESPN Radio 630 AM, Reno)
Don Marchand (play-by-play)
Pregame, 6:20 p.m. MT (5:20 p.m. PT)
SERIES HISTORY: Nevada leads the series 32-18.
LAST MEETING: Nevada has won the last three meetings between the two teams, most recently turning in a 90-86 victory on Jan. 8 in Reno.
Coming off an 84-68 victory at Idaho on Thursday night, the No. 11/10 Nevada Wolf Pack (25-2, 12-1 WAC) heads to Boise State (16-10, 8-5 WAC) for the second of three consecutive road games on Saturday night. Saturday night’s game at Boise State’s Taco Bell Arena will tip off at 7:06 p.m. Mountain Time (6:06 p.m. PT). Ranked 11th in the Associated Press poll and 10th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll, the highest rankings in school history for the second week in a row, Nevada has won eight consecutive games and 18 of its last 19 contests. The Wolf Pack has now turned in its fourth consecutive season with at least 25 victories. With a 25-2 overall record, which is tied for third for the most victories in school history, Nevada possesses the best winning percentage in the country (.926) and is the only two-loss team in the nation. The Wolf Pack holds a two-game lead in the WAC standings with a 12-1 league mark and can clinch at least a share of its fourth consecutive WAC regular-season championship with its next victory. The team also heads to Boise looking to improve upon its 9-1 road record this season (5-1 on the road in WAC action). This year’s Wolf Pack is the fastest team in school history to reach 20 wins and has turned in the program’s ninth 20-win season and its fourth consecutive. Following Saturday’s game, Nevada will continue its road trip with a game at Utah State on Thursday, March 1 before ending the regular season with New Mexico State on Saturday, March 3 at Lawlor Events Center.
NEVADA IN WAC PLAY
With its Jan. 18 win over Fresno State, Nevada won its first five WAC games for the first time since joining the league in 2000-01. The Wolf Pack now holds a 12-1 mark in WAC play, which is good for a two-game lead in the league standings, and can clinch at least a share of its fourth consecutive WAC regular-season title with its next victory. Nevada has also won 12 of its first 13 WAC games for the first time in its seven years as a member of the league.
After opening league play with a 3-3 mark last year, the Wolf Pack won its final 10 WAC games to finish with a 13-3 conference mark and its third consecutive WAC regular-season championship. In 2004-05, Nevada opened WAC play with four straight victories and won seven of its first eight league games en route to a WAC-record 16-2 overall mark and sole possession of the WAC championship. The team also won a share of the league title in 2003-04, tying for first with UTEP with a 13-5 mark.
NEVADA NOTCHES ITS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE 25-WIN SEASON
With its 84-68 victory on Thursday at Idaho, Nevada notched its fourth consecutive season with at least 25 wins (25-9 in 2003-04, 25-7 in 2004-05, 27-6 in 2005-06 and 25-2 this season). The Wolf Pack is now 25-2 on the year, currently the best record in the nation, and is tied for the third-most wins in school history. With the team’s Feb. 13 win over San Jose State, Nevada turned in the team’s 100th win in the last four seasons. The Wolf Pack has now turned in a 102-24 record since the beginning of the 2003-04 season (.810 winning percentage).
With its victory at Louisiana Tech on Jan. 31, Nevada reached 20 wins faster than any team in school history, needing just 22 games to achieve the milestone, and notched its fourth consecutive season with at least 20 wins as well as the ninth 20-victory season in school history. Head coach Jake Lawlor’s 1945-46 squad won its 20th contest 24 games into the season en route to its school-record 28 wins (28-5 overall record that year). Last season, the Wolf Pack earned its 20th victory 25 games into the year in its BracketBusters win over Akron on Feb. 17, while the 2004-05 squad also took 25 contests to reach the 20-win milestone. Head coach Mark Fox is the first coach in school history to lead more than one team to at least 20 wins, doing so in each of his first three seasons.
FOX AMONG 15 FINALISTS FOR JIM PHELAN NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Third-year head coach Mark Fox has been named one of 15 finalists for the 2007 Jim Phelan national coach of the year award.
Fox has turned in a 77-15 record in three seasons at the helm of the Nevada men’s basketball program (.837). He has led the Wolf Pack to back-to-back Western Athletic Conference regular-season titles and NCAA Tournament appearances and is in the midst of guiding the team to another of the best campaigns in school history this season. Last year, Fox became the first coach in school history to lead his squad to back-to-back 20-win seasons (and now a third straight) and was named the Don Haskins WAC Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons as Nevada’s head coach.
The Jim Phelan Award is given annually to the nation’s top coach, as voted on by the 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Atlanta. Prior to 2003 the award was known simply as the CollegeInsider.com national coach of the year. It was renamed to honor longtime Mount St. Mary’s coach Jim Phelan who retired following the 2002-03 season.
Previous winners are Howland (2006), Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 2005), Phil Martelli (St. Joseph’s, 2004) and Mark Slonaker (Mercer, 2003).
IN THE RANKINGS
Nevada has been featured in the national top 25 in the majority of the preseason polls again this year and has climbed to 11th in the Associated Press poll and 10th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ rankings released on Monday, Feb. 19. That marks the second consecutive week that Nevada has held that position in both polls, the highest rankings in school history. Prior to this year, Nevada had climbed as high as 17th in the Dec. 5, 2005 AP poll last season.
The Wolf Pack appeared at 24th in the preseason Associated Press poll, released on Nov. 6, and checked in at 25th in the first ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll, released on Oct. 27. That marks the second consecutive season Nevada has been ranked in the preseason by both of the major polls after checking in at 22nd (AP) and 25th (coaches) prior to the 2005-06 season.
The Wolf Pack spent 11 weeks ranked in one of the two major national polls in 2005-06, climbing as high as 17th in the AP poll on Dec. 5 and as high as 21st in the coaches’ rankings four times during the year. The team ended up ranked 20th in the final Associated Press poll of the year.
In addition, Nevada has been picked to win the WAC and featured in the top 25 in the majority of the other preseason publications, including Lindy’s (19th), Street & Smith’s (20th), Sporting News (23rd), Collegehoopsnet.com (23rd) and CBS SportsLine (23rd).
ABOUT THE BOISE STATE BRONCOS
Boise State brings a 16-10 overall record into Saturday’s game with Nevada and stands a tie for third place in the WAC standings with an 8-5 mark. The Broncos have won five consecutive games, including an 83-64 victory over San Jose State on Thursday night. The team also turned in a pair of non-conference wins last week, including a 101-65 victory over Western Montana on Feb. 13 and an 83-82 BracketBusters win over Albany on Feb. 16. Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Greg Graham (82-69 record at BSU), the Broncos returned five starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s 14-15 team. Boise State finished seventh in the WAC last year with a 6-10 record.
Senior guard Coby Karl (6-5, 216) is leading three Broncos in double figures for scoring with 15.1 points per game (seventh in the WAC). Junior forward Matt Nelson (6-9, 233) is the team’s top rebounder and ranked fourth in the league with 8.9 boards per game and is adding 13.6 points per game (ninth in the league). Nelson also has the WAC’s best field goal percentage at 59.3 (134-226). Junior forward Reggie Larry (6-6, 222), a transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, is 10th in the WAC in scoring at 13.6 points per game and fifth in the conference in rebounding at 8.3 boards per contest. Karl is the team’s top three-point shooter, knocking down 39.2 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc (69-176), which is good for fifth in the WAC.
IN THE SERIES
Nevada leads the series with Boise State 32-18 and has won the last three meetings between the two teams and 12 of the last 14. The Wolf Pack turned in a 90-86 victory over the Broncos in the first meeting this season on Jan. 8 in Reno. Nevada also holds a slim 13-11 advantage in games played in Boise and has won the last two meetings at the Broncos’ Taco Bell Arena.
Last year, the Wolf Pack took both of the regular-season meetings between the two squads, turning in an 81-67 victory on Jan. 14, 2006 in Reno and an 82-79 win on Jan. 26, 2006 in Boise. That Jan. 26 win started Nevada’s 14-game winning streak last year. The Broncos’ last victory in the series was just one of six games that Nevada has lost at home in the last four years with Boise State turning in a 73-72 victory on March 10, 2005 in the opening round of the 2005 WAC Tournament in Reno.
LAST TIME VS. BOISE STATE
Junior Marcelus Kemp scored 27 points, junior Ramon Sessions added 21 and senior Kyle Shiloh helped spark a 9-0 run down the stretch as Nevada rallied for a 90-86 victory over Boise State on Jan. 8 at Lawlor Events Center.
Shiloh added 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Nevada played the second half without senior All-American Nick Fazekas who left the game later in the first half with a severe ankle sprain. Fazekas had 14 points and nine rebounds when he had to be helped off the court after injuring his left ankle with 53 seconds left in the first half. Sessions was 13-of-16 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds for the Wolf Pack.
Reggie Larry and Coby Karl both had 22 points for Boise State, which took an 81-77 lead on Larry's three-point play with 3:20 remaining. Matt Nelson added 19 points and 13 rebounds.
After Larry's three-point play, Shiloh scored inside and then hit a 3-pointer to put Nevada in front 82-81 with 2:03 to go. Junior David Ellis scored on an inbounds play, and senior Denis Ikovlev and Sessions each made a free throw to push the lead to 86-81 with 33 seconds left.
Karl scored in the lane to cut it to 86-83. Kemp made two free throws, but Karl hit a 3 to make it 88-86 with 17 seconds remaining. After Shiloh made another free throw for an three-point lead, Karl had a chance to tie it, but missed a 3-pointer with six seconds left. Larry got the rebound and tried to put it back, but Ellis blocked the shot and Shiloh added a free throw with 0.7 seconds left.
Karl hit consecutive 3-pointers to pull the Broncos within 63-61 with 11:40 left.
Sessions capped 11 straight points for Nevada with two free throws and Kemp followed a 3-pointer with a basket in the lane to extend the lead to 73-65 with 7 minutes left. But Lane nailed two 3s and Matt Bauscher added another to put the Broncos ahead 74-73 with 5:46 to go.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Nick Fazekas turned in his 17th double-double of the year with 21 points and 14 rebounds in an 84-68 victory over Idaho on Thursday at the 1,500-seat Memorial Gym in Moscow, Idaho.
Junior Ramon Sessions added 15 points and junior Marcelus Kemp had 14 as Nevada won its eighth game in a row and 18th of the past 19. Keoni Watson had 27 points for Idaho, which lost its 10th consecutive game.
Nevada built a 16-2 lead and the Vandals could not make up the deficit, largely because they shot less than 40 percent for most of the game while the Wolf Pack made a season-high 62.0 percent from the field.
After trailing 50-31 at halftime, Idaho opened the second half with a 9-2 run to cut Nevada's lead to 52-40. Nevada rebuilt a 60-43 lead, and the Vandals never threatened again.
In the first half, Idaho missed its first nine shots and did not make a field goal until Trevor Morris scored on a goaltending call with 14:20 left.
Nevada led 32-17 with 9:25 left, behind nine points by Fazekas. Idaho closed to 39-27 on a pair of Watson 3-pointers. Watson had 13 points in the first.
Nevada scored the final three baskets of the first, with Fazekas stealing a pass and running the length of the floor for a layup that produced the Wolf Pack's 50-31 lead at halftime. Fazekas had 15 points and 9 rebounds in the first. Idaho had only nine rebounds as a team in the first.
The Wolf Pack made 20-of-30 shots in the first half, 66 percent, while the Vandals sank only 11-of-32, 34 percent.
WINNINGEST PLAYERS
With Nevada’s Dec. 16 win over Pacific, seniors Nick Fazekas and Kyle Shiloh became the winningest players in school history, passing Kevinn Pinkney (2002-05) for the distinction. The pair now has 102 career victories to their credit. Since starting their Wolf Pack careers in 2003-04, Fazekas and Shiloh have played on teams that have amassed a 102-24 mark, including the 25-7 NCAA squad in 2004-05 and a 27-6 NCAA team last season. Pinkney was a member of four squads that turned in an 85-43 record, including an NCAA Sweet Sixteen season in 2003-04 (25-9 record).
FABULOUS FAZEKAS
The 2005 and 2006 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, senior forward Nick Fazekas returns for his senior year poised to finish his career as one of the most decorated players in school history. He is the preseason favorite to win his third consecutive WAC Player-of-the-Year honor and could become just the second player in league history to be named the WAC Player of the Year three times in his career (Utah's Keith Van Horn is the other). He has been named a 2007 Wooden Award Midseason All-American and is under consideration for that prestigious National Player of the Year award. Fazekas is also one of 10 finalists for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, presented annually to an NCAA Division I male senior basketball player who excels both on and off the court. He is also one of 50 players on the preseason watch list for the 2007 Naismith Trophy.
A preseason first-team All-American by Athlon and Street & Smith's, Fazekas has moved into the top five in nearly every Nevada career statistical category. The honorable-mention 2006-07 preseason Associated Press All-American scored 20 points in a Nov. 18 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff to become Nevada’s all-time leading scorer. He broke Edgar Jones’ 27-year-old record (1,877 points, 1975-79) and now has 2,327 career points, which ranks third on the WAC’s career scoring lists. Fazekas has already set Nevada's career record for blocked shots with 181, overtaking Jones who had 142 in his career. He has moved into first on the career list for field goals made with 852 and has also set the school record for free throws made with 511. With his five rebounds Dec. 12 vs. Saint Mary’s, he moved past Jones for second on the Nevada career rebounding list, while his 1,189 rebounds also rank fourth in the WAC career annals, just one board out of third.
Fazekas suffered a severe ankle sprain Jan. 8 vs. Boise State and missed the first two games of his career at San Jose State on Jan. 11 and Hawai’i on Jan. 13. He returned to action Jan. 18 vs. Fresno State, turning in 20 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes while playing with a brace on the sore ankle and added 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting Jan. 20 at New Mexico State. Prior to the San Jose State game, he had played in all 114 previous games in his four years at Nevada and had started 102 career games, including 86 consecutive contests. The senior has now played in 124 career games with 112 starts.
Fazekas has turned in double-doubles in 17 of his 25 games this season and has scored in double figures in 55 consecutive games, dating back to last season. That marks the fourth-longest double-figures streak in the country. He has also had 63 career games with at least 20 points, the most among active players in the nation, including 15 this season. Fazekas scored a season-high 33 points to go along with 15 rebounds Feb. 8 at Fresno State and had 21 points and 14 rebounds Thursday at Idaho. He had 24 points and a career high-tying 18 rebounds Jan. 27 vs. Utah State and 21 points and 10 rebounds Feb. 3 vs. Hawai’i. He scored 29 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in just 21 minutes in the season opener against Alaska-Anchorage and then 19 points and matched his career best with 18 rebounds Nov. 15 at Oregon State. He pulled down 17 rebounds to go along with his 20 points in just 21 minutes vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, added 29 points and 14 rebounds Nov. 21 vs. UC Irvine and had 28 points and 15 rebounds Nov. 25 at Santa Clara. Fazekas also turned in a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds despite fouling out with 5:15 to play on Dec. 30 vs. Gonzaga.
Currently, Fazekas is second in the WAC in scoring at 20.6 points per game, behind Utah State’s Jaycee Carroll (21.4 ppg). After leading the nation for the first seven weeks of the season, Fazekas is now first in the WAC and third in the NCAA in rebounding (11.6 boards per game) and has the WAC’s second-best field goal percentage (58.5 percent, 199-340). In addition, Fazekas also ranks 16th in the nation in scoring, 29th in field goal percentage and 20th in free throw percentage.
Fazekas turned in one of the finest seasons in school history in 2005-06. A third-team 2006 AP All-America selection, he led the WAC and ranked 16th in the nation in scoring with 21.8 points per game after pacing the conference with 20.7 points per game in 2004-05. With 721 points on the year, he also broke the school single-season scoring record, passing Ken Green’s 697 points in 1982-83. Fazekas finished first on the squad, second in the conference and 15th in the NCAA in rebounding with 10.4 boards per contest. He was one of 21 players in NCAA Division I basketball to average a double-double last year. He knocked down 52.9 percent of his field goal attempts (268-507), which was good for fourth in the WAC, and finished second in the league and 41st in the nation in free throw shooting at 84.6 percent (154-182). Fazekas added a team-best 49 blocked shots (third in the WAC at 1.48 per game).
In addition to winning the 2006 WAC Player of the Year Award and being named to the All-WAC first team, both for the second straight year, Fazekas was one of 22 finalists for the 2006 Wooden Award and was a finalist for the Adolph Rupp Award. He was recognized on several All-America teams in addition to his AP honor and was named the 2006 United States Basketball Writers Association District VIII Player of the Year and earned National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 13 first-team accolades.
Nation’s Longest Current Double Figure Scoring Streaks (through Feb. 22)
60 Trey Johnson, Jackson State
57 Caleb Green, Oral Roberts
55 Nick Fazekas, Nevada
52 Brandon Heath, San Diego State
Nation’s Active Career 20-Point Games Leaders (through Feb. 22)
63 Nick Fazekas, Nevada
60 Caleb Green, Oral Roberts
58 Gary Neal, Towson
52 Larry Blair, Liberty
ROAD WARRIORS
Including a 9-1 record this year, Nevada has now won its last 15 of its last 16 regular-season road games. The team also holds a 5-1 record in WAC road contests this season, while counting this year’s two neutral-site victories, the Wolf Pack holds an 11-1 record away from home this season.
Nevada had an 11-game regular-season road winning streak snapped with its Jan. 20 loss at New Mexico State. Included in that 11-game streak were seven straight WAC road victories, including a 72-63 victory at San Jose State on Jan. 11 and a 68-66 overtime win at Hawai’i on Jan. 13. The team downed Oregon State 75-47 on Nov. 15 in Corvallis, Ore., edged Santa Clara 78-70 on Nov. 25, snapping an eight-game losing streak in the Broncos’ home gym, beat Louisiana-Lafayette 86-74 Nov. 29 in the Cajundome. The Wolf Pack also snapped Akron’s 21-game home winning streak, then the fourth-longest streak in the nation, with a 73-71 victory on Dec. 22 in Akron, Ohio. Nevada also won both of its first neutral-site games this season, downing California 77-71 on Dec. 3 in the Pete Newell Challenge and Gonzaga 82-74 on Dec. 30 in Seattle.
The Wolf Pack has tallied a 30-6 record in road contests in the last three seasons (83.3 percent since the start of the 2004-05 season), including a 10-3 record on the road last season (6-2 WAC mark). The Dec. 3 contest against Cal in the Pete Newell Challenge ended a stretch of four of seven games away from Lawlor Events Center to start the year. That stretch included road games at Oregon State, Santa Clara and Louisiana-Lafayette and the neutral-site contest vs. California.
Last year, Nevada opened the year with five of its first six games away from the friendly confines of the Lawlor Events Center (four road wins and a loss on a neutral floor vs. NCAA runner-up UCLA) and saw streaks of 14 straight road wins and 10 consecutive WAC road victories, which dated back to the 2004-05 season, come to an end.
SCHOOL IS IN SESSIONS
After averaging 4.7 points per game last season, junior Ramon Sessions is turning in an average of 13.2 points per contest this year, which ranks 12th in the WAC. He has led the team in scoring in four games this year, including 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting Jan. 25 vs. La Tech and a career high-tying 23 points Jan. 20 at New Mexico State.
Sessions has turned in five 20-point games this season and a total of six in his career. He scored all 20 of his points in the second half in the Dec. 30 win over Gonzaga, turned in 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting Dec. 22 at Akron, had 21 in the Jan. 8 win over Boise State and turned in a team-high 19 Jan. 13 at Hawai’i.
Sessions, who is also leading the team in assists for the third consecutive season, is shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point land (17-41) this season after turning in a 35.9 percent effort from the field and not making any treys one year ago (0-3).
DISHING IT OUT
The Wolf Pack ranks second in the WAC and 20th in the NCAA in assists so far this season and has two players ranked in the top 10 in the league in the category. Nevada is averaging 16.93 assists per game and turned in a season-best 28 assists Dec. 28 against Maine. The team has been efficient in its last five home games, turning in 94 assists on 130 field goals in that stretch, including 19 on 24 Feb. 14 vs. San Jose State.
With 126 assists so far this year, junior Ramon Sessions is ranked second in the WAC with 4.67 assists per game. Sessions turned in a season-high eight assists in the Dec. 16 win over Pacific and matched that Feb. 8 at Fresno State. He had seven assists in the Nov. 21 victory over UC Irvine, seven (and no turnovers) Nov. 29 at Louisiana-Lafayette and seven Jan. 27 vs. Utah State. Sessions has also dished out at least five assists in nine other contests so far this year, including six Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa and six again on Thursday at Idaho. Senior Kyle Shiloh is second on the team and eighth in the league at 3.15 assists per game, while junior Marcelus Kemp is third on the team with 2.48 assists per contest, including six in two of the last three games. Shiloh has turned in a season high six assists twice this year, including six assists with no turnovers Jan. 27 vs. Utah State.
One of 17 national finalists for the Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, Sessions has moved into third place in the Nevada career record books with 444 assists in just 90 career games (4.9 assists per game). Sessions has led the team in assists in each of his seasons at Nevada, setting both the school’s freshman (166) and sophomore (153) marks for assists. Last year, he ranked second in the WAC with 4.9 assists per game.
Sessions and Shiloh are also ranked in the top five in the WAC in assist-to-turnover ratio. Sessions is leading the WAC at 2.25 (126 assists-56 turnovers) and Shiloh is fourth (1.77, 85-48), while sophomore Lyndale Burleson would be ranked in the WAC’s top five at 2.27 (59-26) but falls short of the league minimum of 3.00 assists per game. As a team, Nevada has the league’s best 1.29 assist-to-turnover ratio.
KEMP ON A ROLL
Marcelus Kemp is a great shooter who can get on a roll, and that is just what the junior guard has done so far this season. Kemp has made 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts this season (64-157), good for third in the WAC statistics, and is also fourth in the league in three-point field goals made (2.37). He has tied his career best with five three-pointers made in three games this season: in the Nov. 10 season opener vs. Alaska-Anchorage, at Oregon State on Nov. 15 and Jan. 11 at San Jose State. He also added four on Jan. 18 vs. Fresno State, draining 4-of-6 attempts from beyond the arc, and made 4-of-7 Feb. 3 vs. Hawai’i.
Kemp ranks second on the team, fourth in the WAC and 66th in the nation in scoring at 17.7 points per game. Kemp also ranks eighth in the WAC in field goal percentage at 45.8 percent. Kemp has led the team in scoring 13 times this year, including seven of the last 14 games. That stretch includes 22 points Jan. 6 vs. Idaho, 27 Jan. 8 vs. Boise State, a season-best 33 Jan. 11 at San Jose State, 22 (15 in the second half) Jan. 18 vs. Fresno State, 20 Jan. 31 at La Tech, 23 Feb. 3 vs. Hawai’i (16 in the second half) and 18 Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa.
Kemp has turned in at least 20 points in eight of the last 15 games (272 points, 18.1 ppg in that stretch) and a total of 12 this season, while his 33 points Jan. 11 vs. the Spartans were just one point shy of his career-best 34 vs. Montana in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. With his 14 points Jan. 20 at New Mexico State, Kemp became the 18th player in school history to join the 1,000-point club and now has 1,114 career points, which ranks 14th on the all-time Nevada scoring lists.
Kemp turned in 29 points, including 5-of-6 three-pointers, Nov. 15 at Oregon State and had 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting in the Nov. 21 victory over UC Irvine. He scored 21 Dec. 28 vs. Gonzaga and led the team with 19 points Dec. 16 vs. Pacific, making 4-of-8 attempts from beyond the arc. Last year, Kemp was second on the team and 11th in the WAC with 15.0 points per contest. He led the team with 52 treys made and shot 35.9 percent from beyond the arc.
WOLF PACK SHOOTING WELLTHE BALL
The Wolf Pack has shot the ball well from the field this year and turned in a season-high 62.0 percent effort from the field Thursday at Idaho. Nevada made 31-of-50 attempts in the game, including a 66.7 percent effort in the first half (20-30). That bested 59.6 percent shooting effort Nevada turned in on Dec. 28 vs. Maine (34-57), including an impressive 64.0 percent showing in the second half (16-25).
Nevada ranks among the national and WAC leaders in field goal, free throw and three-point percentage. The Wolf Pack leads the league and ranks eighth in the NCAA in three-point percentage (41.4 percent, 201-485). Nevada also ranks first in the WAC and 10th in the country in field goal percentage (49.3 percent) as well as second in the WAC and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (74.8 percent). Last year, Nevada shot 45.6 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from three-point land and made 71.4 percent of its attempts from the charity stripe.
Nevada has shot 50 percent or better in 16 of its 27 games and has made at least seven three-pointers in all but eight games this year. The Wolf Pack knocked down a season-high 12 treys Jan. 11 at San Jose State, making 63.2 percent of its attempts (12-19). The team had 11 treys Nov. 21 vs. UC Irvine (11-19) and Jan. 18 vs. Fresno State (11-25) and turned in a season-best 71.4 effort from beyond the arc Dec. 12 vs. Saint Mary’s (10-14).
TOUGH DEFENSE
So far this season, Nevada is holding its opponents to 66.2 points and 30.9 rebounds per game, including a season-low 45 points by Oregon State on Nov. 15 and 23 rebounds by La Tech on Jan. 25. That marked the fewest points since the Wolf Pack held Idaho to just 44 in a 70-44 victory on Jan. 12, 2006, while Nevada has won 46 of its last 48 games when holding its opponent to 60 points or less, including a 13-1 record last season and a 5-1 mark this year (most recently a 68-60 win over San Jose State on Feb. 14).
Nevada ranks third in the league in scoring defense and second in rebounding defense this year. The squad is also allowing teams to shoot just 40.5 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three-point land, marks which rank fourth in the WAC. Nevada is also ranked 40th in the nation in field goal percentage defense. Oregon State made just 29.0 percent of its attempts and 14.3 percent of its three-point attempts on Nov. 15, while Santa Clara knocked down just 14.3 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc (2-14) on Nov. 25.
The Wolf Pack led the WAC in field goal percentage defense and three-point field goal percentage defense, ranked second in scoring defense and ended up third in rebounding defense in 2005-06. Nevada held teams to just 63.7 points per game, including a season-low 44 Jan. 12 by Idaho, and 34.1 rebounds per contest. The Wolf Pack allowed teams to shoot just 30.4 percent from beyond the arc and 40.1 percent from the field (28th in the nation). Nevada held 20 of its 33 opponents under 40 percent from the field in 2005-06, including a season-low 29.6 percent Jan. 12 by Idaho.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Nevada shot a season-high 100.0 percent from the free throw line on Thursday at Idaho, making all 16 of its attempts from the charity stripe. That bested the team’s previous high of 95.2 percent Feb. 3 vs. Hawai’i (20-21). The Wolf Pack has shot 83.3 percent from the free throw line in its last five games (95-114). As a team, Nevada ranks second in the WAC and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage at 74.8 percent.
- Senior Nick Fazekas ranks second in the WAC and 20th in the NCAA in free throw percentage at 87.7 percent (93-106), including 7-of-7 efforts in his last two games (vs. Northern Iowa and at Idaho). Junior Ramon Sessions is third in the WAC in the category, knocking down 82.8 percent of his attempts this season (106-128), including a career-high 13-of-16 Jan. 8 vs. Boise State, while junior Marcelus Kemp checks in at ninth at 76.2 percent (77-101). Sessions shot just 56.8 percent from the free throw line last year (25-44).
- The WAC’s top three-point shooting team this year at 41.4 percent (eighth in the nation), Nevada has already made 201 three-pointers this season. The team needs just 13 treys to tie the school record for single-season three-pointers made. The 1996-97 Wolf Pack squad made a school-record 214 three-pointers.
- Senior Kyle Shiloh has averaged 15.5 points per game in his last four games (62 points), including a season-high 18 Feb. 8 at Fresno State, 16 in both of last week’s games vs. San Jose State and Northern Iowa and 12 Thursday at Idaho. He also turned in the first double-double of his career at Fresno State, matching his season high with 18 points and pulling down the career-best 11 rebounds. All 16 of Shiloh’s points came in the second half Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa.
- Nevada trailed at the half 33-32 Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa, marking the second consecutive contest that the team has overcome a second-half deficit. The Wolf Pack is now 5-1 this year when trailing at halftime.
- The Wolf Pack was outrebounded by the Panthers 33-31, marking just the fourth time this year that the team has been outrebounded (Jan. 13 vs. Hawaii, Jan. 20 vs. NMSU, Feb. 3 vs. Hawai’i). The team has won three of those four contests.
- The team holds a 21-1 record when outrebounding its opponents this season and is outboarding its opponents by a WAC-best 7.0 rebounds per game this year. Led by the nation’s No. 3 rebounder, senior Nick Fazekas (11.6 rpg), Nevada ranks in the top five in the WAC in all five rebounding categories this season: offense (3rd-38.0 rpg), defense (2nd-30.9), margin (1st-7.0), offensive (5th-11.48) and defensive rebounds (3rd-26.48). Nevada also ranks 13th in the NCAA in rebounding margin.
- The Wolf Pack pulled down a season-high 56 rebounds Feb. 8 at Fresno State and outrebounded the Bulldogs by 29 boards (56-27). That marked the team's second-highest rebounding margin of the year with the Wolf Pack only outrebounding Oregon State by more (54-24) on Nov. 15.
- Seniors Kyle Shiloh and Denis Ikovlev both notched career highs in rebounding Feb. 8 at Fresno State with Shiloh pulling down 11 and Ikovlev grabbing nine boards, while junior Marcelus Kemp tied his rebounding best with nine Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa.
- The Wolf Pack has turned in a 13-2 record in games decided by 10 points or less this year, including a 4-0 mark in contests decided by five points or less.
- The Wolf Pack is outscoring its opponents by a WAC-best 11.1 points per game this year (20th in the country in scoring margin). The team also ranks second in the WAC and 32nd in the nation in scoring with an average of 77.3 points per game. The team scored a season-high 90 points on Jan. 8 vs. Boise State, besting the previous high of 89 in its Dec. 28 over Maine.
- The Wolf Pack and third-year head coach Mark Fox have turned in a combined 28-3 record over the final two months of the season (February and March) in the last three years, including a 20-0 mark in the month of February.
- Over the last five seasons, Nevada has turned in a 121-38 overall mark (.761), which is the most wins and is the second-best winning percentage of any WAC team during that time (second only to Utah State’s 112-36 record, .757). In conference games, the Wolf Pack has won 64 games, which is the most among league schools in that same time period. The next closest team is Fresno State, which has won 47 league contests.
- Senior Kyle Shiloh is fourth in the WAC with an average of 1.48 steals per game this year. He ranks seventh on the Wolf Pack career list with 127 career steals. Shiloh has turned in a season-best four steals five times this year (vs. Alaska-Anchorage, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Idaho, Hawai’i and most recently Jan. 20 at New Mexico State).
- Nevada has won its 22 of its last 23 regular-season WAC games and 25 of its last 26 games against WAC opponents, including three WAC Tournament victories last season. The team won its last 10 WAC regular-season contests last year and has won 12 of its first 13 this year.
- Senior Denis Ikovlev scored a career-best 18 points in the Jan. 18 win over Fresno State, making six field goals and three 3-pointers (both career highs). Ikovlev has started all 26 games this year (his first career starts) and is averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest (up from averages of 1.8 points and 1.0 rebounds per game last year). He pulled down a career-best nine rebounds to go along with 12 points Feb. 8 at Fresno State, while he had 10 points and eight rebounds Dec. 12 vs. Saint Mary’s. Ikovlev has made at least one three-pointer in 21 of 27 games this year, including seven games with more than one. He tied his career best with three treys on Jan. 25 vs. La Tech, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and did it again Feb. 17 vs. Northern Iowa (3-3).
- Nevada got 23 points from its bench on Jan. 25 vs. Louisiana Tech, including seven points from freshman Brandon Fields and six from freshman Tyrone Hanson. Hanson also tied his career high with two three-pointers made. That marked the most bench points since the team turned in 23 Jan. 6 vs. Idaho and 27 points Dec. 28 vs. Maine. Fields and Hanson each scored a career-best eight points in the victory over Maine. McGee also tied his career high with eight points on 4-of-4 shooting Jan. 31 at Louisiana Tech, while Fields added six points vs. the Bulldogs.
- The Jan. 13 victory over Hawai’i marked Nevada’s second overtime win in its last eight tries. It also marked the second straight year that Nevada had gone to overtime in Honolulu. Last year, the Wolf Pack turned in a 1-1 record in overtime games. Its win over Utah State in the championship game of the 2006 WAC Tournament snapped a string of six overtime losses dating back to the 2001-02 season.
- The Wolf Pack has won 39 of its last 42 contests, dating back to an 82-79 victory at Boise State on Jan. 26, 2006. The team has lost back-to-back games just five times since the start of 2003-04 season.
- The Wolf Pack’s 2006-07 schedule features 16 home games and contests with four schools that received NCAA Tournament bids one year ago (Cal, Pacific, Gonzaga and Utah State). The team will play in three special events this year: the Dec. 3 Pete Newell Challenge vs. California, the Battle in Seattle vs. Gonzaga on Dec. 30 and the ESPNU BracketBusters on Feb. 17.
- Senior Nick Fazekas and freshman JaVale McGee are both ranked in the top 10 in the WAC in blocked shots. Nevada’s career leader in the category with 181, Fazekas is fourth in the WAC at 1.48 blocks per game. He tied his career best with four blocks on Dec. 12 vs. Saint Mary’s. McGee is ninth in the league at 1.00 swat per game with a career-best four Jan. 6 vs. Idaho.
- Five Nevada players made their Wolf Pack regular-season collegiate debuts in the team’s Nov. 10 season opener vs. Alaska-Anchorage, including true freshmen Brandon Fields, Tyrone Hanson, Matt LaGrone and JaVale McGee and redshirt freshman Richie Phillips.
UP NEXT
Following Saturday’s game at Boise State, Nevada will conclude its three-game WAC road stretch with a trip to Logan, Utah, to take on Utah State on Thursday, March 1. The Wolf Pack will wrap up the regular season on Saturday, March 3, playing host to New Mexico State at Lawlor Events Center. Nevada will honor its three seniors - Nick Fazekas, Denis Ikovlev and Kyle Shiloh - prior to the New Mexico State contest.
