NEVADA WOLF PACK
OVERALL RECORD: 21-12 WAC RECORD: 12-4
HOME: 13-3 AWAY: 7-9 NEUTRAL: 1-0
2007-08 WAC REGULAR-SEASON CO-CHAMPIONS
2008 COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL FIRST ROUND
FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WAC TITLE
FIFTH CONSECUTIVE 20-WIN SEASON
SIXTH CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON APPEARANCE
Capturing a share of the program’s fifth consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship and earning the school’s sixth consecutive postseason appearance, the Nevada Wolf Pack turned in another outstanding season in 2007-08. Nevada finished the year with a 21-12 overall record and finished in a four-way tie for first in the WAC standings with a 12-4 conference mark. With its 21 victories, the Wolf Pack also notched the fifth consecutive season with at least 20 wins and has now turned in a WAC-best 127-39 record in the last five years (.765 winning percentage). After starting the season with a 2-4 mark and four of its first six games away from home, Nevada won 19 of its next 27 games to reach the 20-win plateau for the fifth straight season. The Wolf Pack also earned an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, the team’s sixth consecutive postseason appearance. The team fared well in the postseason awards with guard Armon Johnson being named the WAC Freshman of the Year, senior guard Marcelus Kemp earning first-team All-WAC honors for the second year and garnering all-district accolades and sophomore forward JaVale McGee being named to the all-conference second team.
NEVADA TOP WAC TEAM OVER LAST FIVE YEARS
Over the last five seasons dating back to 2003-04, Nevada has turned in a 127-39 record, the best record of any WAC team during that time (.765 winning percentage). In conference games, Nevada has won 68 games, the most in that same time period.
WAC CHAMPIONS
With a 12-4 mark in conference action this season, Nevada finished in a tie for first in the WAC, capturing a share of its fifth consecutive WAC regular-season championship. Nevada had captured sole possession of the WAC regular-season crown in each of the three previous seasons (2005, 06, 07) and shared the title with UTEP in 2004. In 2007 the Wolf Pack finished with a 14-2 record in conference play, while the team was 13-3 in 2006. Nevada won the regular-season crown with a WAC-record 16-2 conference mark in 2005, while in 2004, Nevada tied for first with a 13-5 record in WAC play.
WOLF PACK PLAYS IN INAUGURAL CBI, EARNS SIXTH CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON BID
The Wolf Pack earned an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational, a 16-team, single-elimination tournament played at on-campus sites. That marked the team’s sixth consecutive postseason bid after the team earned an invitation to the Postseason NIT in 2003 and made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2004-07. Nevada drew a tough opening-round matchup with Houston and fell to the Cougars 80-79 at Lawlor Events Center on March 18.
ALL-WAC SELECTIONS
Freshman guard Armon Johnson was named the 2008 WAC Freshman of the Year, while senior guard Marcelus Kemp was named to the All-WAC first team for the second consecutive season. Sophomore forward JaVale McGee earned spots on both the All-WAC second team and the WAC All-Defensive squad, while joining McGee on the All-Defensive team was junior guard Lyndale Burleson. Johnson was named to the All-Newcomer squad and became the first Wolf Pack player to earn WAC Freshman of the Year honors since Ramon Sessions did it in 2005. Sophomore guard Brandon Fields also earned a spot on the WAC All-Academic team.
TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Player Marcelus Kemp headlined the team awards Nevada presented at its season-end Starting Five Dinner on April 15 at the Silver Legacy in Reno. Kemp also won the team’s prestigious Rock Award, which is annually presented to the player who represents the identity and foundation of the team, as chosen by the coaches and team. Freshman guard Armon Johnson was honored as the team’s Most Inspirational Player, while senior forward David Ellis received Nevada’s Sixth Man Award. Sophomore forward JaVale McGee was recognized as the Most Improved Player, while junior guard Lyndale Burleson and sophomore guard Brandon Fields shared the team’s Defensive Player of the Year honor.
SENIOR SALUTE
Nevada benefitted from the experience and leadership of four seniors in 2007-08 in forwards David Ellis (Sacramento, Calif.) and Demarshay Johnson (Oakland, Calif.) and guards Marcelus Kemp (Seattle, Wash.) and Curry Lynch (Virginia City, Nev.). All four student-athletes are on pace to graduate in May of 2008 with Ellis, Johnson and Kemp majoring in general studies and Lynch in criminal justice.
NEVADA NOTCHES FIFTH STRAIGHT 20-WIN SEASON
With its March 8 regular-season finale victory at Fresno State, Nevada turned in its fifth consecutive season with at least 20 wins. It also marked the 10th 20-win season in school history and the fourth for fourth-year head coach Mark Fox, who is the only coach in school history to lead more than one team to at least 20 victories. In each of the previous four years, Nevada had won at least 25 games (25-9 in 2003-04, 25-7 in 2004-05, 27-6 in 2005-06 and a school-record 29-5 in 2006-07).
Nevada has also turned in a school-record seven consecutive winning seasons dating back to the 2001-02 campaign (three under former Pack head coach Trent Johnson and four under fourth-year head coach Mark Fox). The previous long stretch was six from 1986-87 to 1991-92.
NEVADA 20-WIN SEASONS
Year Record Head Coach
2006-07 29-5 Mark Fox
1945-46 28-5 Jake Lawlor
2005-06 27-6 Mark Fox
2004-05 25-7 Mark Fox
2003-04 25-9 Trent Johnson
1965-66 21-6 Jack Spencer
1978-79 21-7 Jim Carey
1984-85 21-10 Sonny Allen
1996-97 21-10 Pat Foster
2007-08 21-12 Mark Fox
WINNING AT LAWLOR
The Wolf Pack has won 37 of its last 41 contests at Lawlor Events Center, including 12 of its last 14 home games this season. With a 13-3 mark this season, the Wolf Pack has turned in a 73-9 record at Lawlor Events Center since the start of the 2003-04 season (.890 winning percentage). Nevada’s loss to California on Nov. 28 snapped the team’s 13-game home winning streak. The streak had been the longest active home winning streak in the WAC and the 12th-longest in the nation. Prior to the Cal loss, Nevada had not dropped a home contest since falling to UNLV on Dec. 9, 2006.
Nevada also has won 20 of its last 21 WAC regular-season home games and 23 of its last 25 home games against WAC opponents counting the 2006 WAC Tournament. A Jan. 19 loss to Boise State snapped the Wolf Pack’s 14-game winning streak in WAC home games, including a perfect 8-0 mark one year ago and a 2-0 mark to start this season (finished 7-1). That 14-game win streak had dated back to January of 2006, while counting Nevada’s three wins in the 2006 WAC Tournament, the team had won its last 17 games against WAC opponents in the friendly confines of Lawlor Events Center prior to the loss to the Broncos.
In 2005-06, the Wolf Pack turned in a 17-1 record at Lawlor Events Center, setting the school record for home victories in a single season. That bested the 15 victories the team turned in during the 2003-04 season. The Wolf Pack also turned in the second-best home winning percentage in school history in 2005-06 (.944), second only to the perfect 15-0 record the team turned in during that 2003-04 campaign.
The Wolf Pack has won 74.5 percent of its games at Lawlor Events Center since it opened in 1983-84 (274-94 all-time).
KEMP PACES TEAM IN SCORING
A first-team All-WAC selection for the second consecutive season, senior guard Marcelus Kemp led the team, ranked second in the WAC and finished 35th in the NCAA in scoring at 20.0 points per game. Kemp also was named an all-district selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association, earned honorable-mention high-major All-America honors from CollegeHoops.net and was one of 22 seniors in the nation invited to play in the NABC’s DiGiorno College All-Star Game on April 4 in San Antonio, Texas. He turned in at least 20 points in 16 games this year with two 30-point performances, including a career-best 35 Feb. 11 vs. Utah State and 32 Feb. 16 at Idaho. After leading the team in scoring in 17 games in 2006-07, including five of the final six, the sixth-year senior paced the Wolf Pack in scoring in 21 of 33 games this season, including 19 of the last 28. He turned in a team-high 26 points with four three-pointers Nov. 28 vs. California and notched his second career double-double with a game-best 20 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds Dec. 1 at Pacific.
Kemp finished his career as the Nevada all-time leader for three-pointers made with 227 and three-pointers attempted with 597 and ended up 13th on the WAC career lists in both categories. With two three-pointers Feb. 14 at Boise State, he became Nevada’s career leader, passing Terrance Green (209 treys, 1999-2003). This season, he led the team and ranked ninth in the WAC with 70 treys made this year (2.12 per game), while his 70 three-pointers ranked sixth on the Nevada single-season chart. Kemp knocked down 5-of-6 three-pointers Feb. 9 vs. Hawai’i and made five on March 14 at New Mexico State, tying his career high for treys made in a game. He made at least three treys in 12 games this season.
Kemp also finished his career ranked second on the Nevada all-time scoring list with 1,939 points (20th in WAC career scoring). He jumped past Edgar Jones (1,877 points, 1976-79) for second on the list and finished his career behind just three-time WAC Player of the Year Nick Fazekas (2,464 points, 2003-07). Kemp scored in double figures in 32 of 33 games this season and 94 times in his career. Dating back to the latter part of the 2005-06 season, Kemp’s sophomore year, he scored in double figures in 73 of his final 76 games.
NEVADA SINGLE-SEASON 3-pt field goals made
Player, Year G 3FG
1. Jimmy Carroll, 1996-97 31 96
2. Marcelus Kemp, 2006-07 34 84
3. Jimmy Carroll, 1997-98 26 74
Bryan Thomasson, 1991-92 29 74
5. Kevin Franklin, 1988-89 28 71
6. Marcelus Kemp, 2007-08 33 70
7. Jerry Hogan, 1993-94 28 66
Kevin Franklin, 1989-90 28 66
KEMP WINS NEVADA’S DOC MARTIE AWARD
Senior guard Marcelus Kemp was named the winner of the 2007-08 Doc Martie Award as the University of Nevada’s top male senior student-athlete. The award is named for J.E. “Doc” Martie, a former Nevada men’s basketball coach (1923-29, 1930-39) and administrator. Student-athletes are nominated by their head coaches and must be in their final year of eligibility and in good academic standing, and the award winner is chosen in a vote by the athletics department staff.
In addition to setting career marks for three-pointers made and finishing second in career scoring, Kemp helped the Wolf Pack to four straight WAC regular-season championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances in his career at Nevada. He was a part of 102 wins in his time in the Silver and Blue.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Nevada saw three different players turn in its 10 double-doubles this season, led by sophomore JaVale McGee who had eight. McGee turned in back-to-back double-doubles with 23 points and 14 rebounds in Nevada’s March 8 regular-season finale at Fresno State and had 22 points and 10 boards in its WAC Tournament quarterfinals victory over Fresno State on March 13. He also had 20 points and 10 boards Feb. 9 vs. Hawai’i, while he turned in 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds Feb. 2 at Utah State. He contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds Jan. 12 at Hawai’i, 18 points and 11 rebounds Dec. 31 against Cal State Stanislaus and 15 points and a career-best 18 rebounds Dec. 16 vs. UCF. McGee nabbed his first career double-double Nov. 24 at UNLV with 20 points and 13 rebounds (both were then career highs) and just missed two other double-doubles with 19 points and nine rebounds Nov. 28 vs. Cal and 11 points and nine rebounds Dec. 19 vs. Colorado State.
Senior Marcelus Kemp tallied his second career double-double with 20 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds Dec. 1 at Pacific, while senior Demarshay Johnson turned in his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 11 boards Nov. 13 at UC Irvine.
SPREADING IT AROUND
Four members of the Wolf Pack averaged in doubles figures for scoring this year, led by senior guard Marcelus Kemp who ranked second in the WAC and 35th in the nation at 20.0 points per game. Kemp led the team in scoring in 21 of 33 games this year. Sophomore JaVale McGee finished second on the team and 10th in the WAC with 14.1 points per game, while sophomore Brandon Fields and freshman Armon Johnson trail just behind at 12.4 and 11.5 points per contest, respectively. McGee scored a career-high 26 points March 1 vs. Louisiana Tech and had 23 March 8 at Fresno State, while Fields turned in a career-best 29 points Feb. 28 vs. New Mexico State. Johnson matched his career high with 23 points twice (Dec. 27 at then top-ranked North Carolina and Jan. 17 vs. Idaho). Nevada saw at least four players score in double figures in a total of 15 games this year, including three games with five (vs. San Diego, Cal State Stanislaus and Houston).
WAC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR JOHNSON HAS OUTSTANDING SEASON
2008 WAC Freshman of the Year Armon Johnson paced the Wolf Pack and ranked seventh in the WAC with 3.36 assists per game, while the graduate of Reno’s Hug High School finished sixth in the league with a 1.42 assist-to-turnover ratio. The first Wolf Pack freshman to lead the team in assists since Ramon Sessions in 2004-05, Johnson was the only WAC rookie ranked in either statistical category. He dished out at least five assists in eight games this year, including a career-best seven in the Feb. 9 win over Hawai’i.
Fourth on the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game, Johnson turned in 21 double-figures efforts this season, including four 20-point contests. He also ranked among the WAC leaders in free throw percentage, checking in at ninth at 77.6 percent.
DEALING WITH REJECTION
Sophomore JaVale McGee and the Wolf Pack led the WAC and ranked among the nation’s best in blocked shots per game this season. McGee, who was named to the WAC’s All-Defensive team and the second-team All-WAC squad, turned in a league-best 2.79 blocks per game, 1.35 blocks per game ahead of Idaho’s Darin Nagle (1.44), and finished 14th in the NCAA in the category. He swatted a career-best seven shots Dec. 22 at Northern Iowa and blocked six in three other games this season (Nov. 11 at UCF, Nov. 18 vs. Cal and Feb. 11 vs. Utah State). McGee blocked at least one shot in 29 of 33 games this season (24 with two or more and 13 with four or more). With 122 career blocks in just 66 games (1.85 per game), McGee finished fourth on the Nevada career list. McGee also finished second on the Nevada single-season list with 92 block this year and broke Nick Fazekas’ record for single-season swats by a Wolf Pack sophomore (51 in 2004-05).
As a team, Nevada broke the school record for blocks in a single season with 192 this year, passing the mark of 167 set by the 2004-05 squad. This year, the Wolf Pack paced the conference and ranked 15th in the nation with an average of 5.82 blocks per game, including a season-best 11 in its Jan. 17 win over Idaho and 10 in the Dec. 19 win over Colorado State. Senior Demarshay Johnson finished second on the team and seventh in the league in the category with 0.97 blocks per game, including a career-high six swats in the Dec. 19 victory over Colorado State.
NEVADA SINGLE-SEASON BLOCKS LIST
Player, Year G Blks
1. Edgar Jones, 1977-78 27 96
2. JaVale McGee, 2007-08 33 92*
3. Greg Palm, 1981-82 28 55
4. Nick Fazekas, 2004-05 32 51
5. Nick Fazekas, 2005-06 33 49
6. Nick Fazekas, 2006-07 32 48
Greg Palm, 1980-81 26 48
* Nevada single-season record for blocks by a sophomore
MCGEE DECIDES TO ENTER NBA DRAFT
Following the 2007-08 season, sophomore forward JaVale McGee decided to enter the 2008 National Basketball Association Draft, hiring an agent and giving up his remaining two years of collegiate eligibility.
Nevada has had 11 players selected in the NBA Draft, including three in the last four years. Kirk Snyder was a first-round selection by the Utah Jazz in the 2004 NBA Draft (16th pick overall), while Nick Fazekas (Dallas Mavericks) and Ramon Sessions (Milwaukee Bucks) were both selected in the second round in 2007. The 2008 NBA Draft will be held on June 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
FIELDS TURNS IN SOLID SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN
Sophomore Brandon Fields shot 38.3 percent from three-point land this season (54-141) and ended up third on the team in scoring with 12.4 points per game. He was second on the team with 54 three-pointers made this year and knocked down at least one three-pointer in 27 of 33 games this year (15 with two or more), including a career-high four trey (4-8) Dec. 1 at Pacific. He made just three three-pointers and shot just 27.3 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman in 2005-06 (3-11).
The Dec. 17 WAC Player of the Week, Fields turned in then career highs for scoring in back-to-back games against San Diego on Dec. 12 and UCF on Dec. 16, including 17 points in the win over the Toreros and 22 in the victory over the Knights. He had the best night of his career Feb. 28 vs. New Mexico State, notching career highs with 29 points and nine rebounds. He made 9-of-11 attempts from the field and went 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
LIGHTING IT UP
Nevada scored 98 points Feb. 28 vs. New Mexico State, which marked its second-highest point total of the season and the most points for the team in a WAC game since a 101-76 win over Rice on Jan. 24, 2004 in Reno. The Wolf Pack scored a season-high 104 points in its Dec. 31 victory over Cal State Stanislaus. That Dec. 31 win over the Warriors marked the first time that the team has topped the century mark since the 2004 game with Rice.
Nevada turned in 12 80-point efforts this season and reached that 80-point mark in six of the last 12 games of the year. The team had an 11-1 record when scoring 80 or more points this season. After averaging 67.5 points in the first six contests of the year, the Wolf Pack averaged 77.1 points per game in its last 27 (2083 points). Nevada finished third in the WAC in scoring at 75.4 points per game this year.
FINDING THEIR TOUCH
Nevada finished the season ranked third in the WAC and 17th in the nation in field goal percentage this season at 48.0 percent. The team turned in 12 50-percent shooting efforts this season (four better than 60 percent), including seven of the last 16 games, and notched a 12-0 mark in those contests. In the WAC standings, the Wolf Pack finished behind Utah State (51.4 percent) and Boise State (50.8), which finished first and third in the nation in the category. Nevada shot a then season-high 61.4 percent Feb. 28 vs. New Mexico State (35-57) and then bested that mark with a 66.0-percent showing March 1 vs. Louisiana Tech (35-53, 70.8 percent in the second half). The Wolf Pack also finished fourth in the WAC in three-point percentage, knocking down 36.2 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc (195-538). The team made 64.7 percent of its three-point attempts and 11 treys (both season highs) Feb. 9 vs. Hawai’i (11-17),
FOX FOURTH ON NEVADA CAREER WINS LIST
Nevada head coach Mark Fox holds a 102-30 career record in his four seasons at the helm of the Wolf Pack program (.773 winning percentage) and is already fourth in all-time wins at Nevada. He is the first coach in school history to lead his squad to four consecutive 20-win seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Nevada’s March 1 victory over Louisiana Tech gave Fox the 100th win of his career. He tied for 21st on the NCAA's list of fastest coaches to reach 100 wins (among coaches with at least half of their seasons at the Division I level). Duke's Vic Bubas also took 128 wins to reach the milestone, doing it in his fifth season (1964). Fox also became the fastest coach in school history to reach the 100-win plateau. It took Jake Lawlor, the winningest coach in school history, seven seasons (10th game into that season) and 168 games to hit that milestone, while Sonny Allen reached the mark in the first game of his seventh season (100 wins in 174 games). Nevada has seen three of its previous head coaches notch at least 100 wins, including Lawlor (201-159 career record), Allen (114-89) and Jack Spencer (123-199).
Fox’s 81 wins after his first three seasons were tied with Gonzaga's Mark Few for the most victories in Division I history by a coach through three seasons (81-18 record in his first three seasons). Fox was named the Don Haskins Coach of the Year in each of his first three seasons as Nevada’s head coach to become the first coach in WAC history to earn the honor in three consecutive years. He was also one of 15 finalists for the 2007 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award and was named the 2007 National Association of Basketball Coaches District 13 Coach of the Year.
NEVADA’S WINNINGEST COACHES (by wins)
Name (Years) Career Record (Win. Pct.)
1. Jake Lawlor (1942-43, 45-49) 201-159 (.558)
2. Jack Spencer (1959-72) 123-199 (.382)
3. Sonny Allen (1980-87) 114-89 (.562)
4. Mark Fox (2004-pres.) 102-30 (.773)
5. Len Stevens (1987-93) 91-79 (.535)
6. Pat Foster (1993-99) 90-81 (.526)
ROAD WARRIORS
Nevada has won 27 of its last 42 games away from the friendly confines of Lawlor Events Center, including 22 road wins and five neutral-site victories (dating back to midway through the 2005-06 season). In 2006-07, the team turned in a 14-4 record away from home, including a 10-2 road mark and a 4-2 record in neutral-site games. The Wolf Pack has won 10 of its last 19 regular-season road contests and 21 of its last 31 and turned in a 7-9 road mark this season. In 2006-07, the team saw an 11-game regular-season road winning streak snapped with a Jan. 20, 2007 loss at New Mexico State. Prior to that, the team had not dropped a road contest since falling at Fresno State on Jan. 18, 2006.
In the last four seasons since the start of the 2004-05 campaign, the Wolf Pack has tallied a 38-16 record in road contests (.704 winning percentage). That includes a 26-8 record in WAC road games (.765).
FREQUENT FLIERS
The Wolf Pack logged 16 road contests and traveled 34,576 miles this season. According to a story by ESPN.com’s Kyle Whelliston, the Wolf Pack would travel the third-most miles of any team in the country this season, behind just fellow WAC schools Hawai’i and New Mexico State. The team played four of its first six games away from home and took trips to UCF, Northern Iowa, North Carolina, Hawai’i, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech, Utah State, Boise State, Idaho, Southern Illinois and Fresno State this season.
This year began with a season-opening two-game road trip to UCF and UC Irvine and trips to UNLV and Pacific. The team racked up over 5,800 frequent flier miles in five days to open the season, traveling 2,833 miles from Reno to Orlando, 2,496 miles from Orlando to Anaheim for a game two days later and 544 miles from Anaheim back to Reno.
CLOSE LOSSES
Eight of Nevada’s 12 losses this season came by an average of just 6.1 points per game (49 points), while four of them - a 63-60 loss at UCF on Nov. 11, a 70-66 defeat Dec. 1 at Pacific, a 62-60 loss at San Jose State on Jan. 10 and an 80-79 decision to Houston on March 18 - were decided by four points or less. Last year, Nevada’s five losses came by an average of just 6.8 points per game. In his four years as Nevada’s head coach, Mark Fox’s squads have only lost 10 games by a margin in double figures.
PACK NEWS & NOTES
- Freshman Malik Cooke continued to improve as the season went on and turned two of his best games of the year down the stretch. He turned in a career-best 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line in Nevada’s CBI game vs. Houston. He also turned eight points (a career high at the time) and had seven rebounds Feb. 23 at Southern Illinois. Cooke led the team in rebounding twice this season, pulling down a career-best and team-high 10 rebounds Feb. 7 vs. San Jose State and grabbing eight rebounds in the team’s Jan. 26 win at Louisiana Tech. He averaged 4.2 rebounds per game in the last 15 contests of the year (63 rebounds), up from his average of 2.9 boards per game.
- Nevada faced six first-year head coaches 10 times this season and turned in a 9-1 mark in those games, downing Santa Clara (Kerry Keating), San Diego (Bill Grier), Colorado State (Tim Miles), Hawai’i twice (Bob Nash), New Mexico State twice (Marvin Menzies) and Louisiana Tech twice (Kerry Rupp).
- The Wolf Pack and fourth-year head coach Mark Fox have turned in a combined 40-11 record over the final two months of the season (February and March) in the last four years, including a 26-3 record in the month of February and a 14-8 mark in March.
- Although senior Marcelus Kemp saw a streak of 38 consecutive games in double figures come to an end with nine points March 1 vs. Louisiana Tech, he led the team with eight rebounds and eight assists that night. That marked the second consecutive night that he turned in a career-best eight assists after doing it in the Feb. 28 victory over New Mexico State. He finished the year ranked second on the team and eighth in the WAC with 3.25 assists per game.
- Including its 47-40 advantage over Fresno State on March 13, the Wolf Pack outrebounded 17 of its 33 opponents this season (15-2 record in those games) and tied two others. Nevada finished the year ranked second in the WAC in rebounding offense (36.9 rpg) and fourth in rebounding margin (+2.8) this year. The team pulled down a season-high 57 rebounds and turned in its season best for rebounding margin (+31) Dec. 31 vs. CS Stanislaus, outrebounding the Warriors 57-26.
- Sophomore JaVale McGee led the team and ranked second in the WAC with 7.3 rebounds per contest. He led the WAC for several weeks earlier in the year. McGee pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds Dec. 16 vs. UCF, which marked the most for the Pack since Nick Fazekas had 18 rebounds in Nevada’s Jan. 27, 2007 win over Utah State. McGee paced the team in rebounding in 18 games this season. Senior Marcelus Kemp was second on the team at 5.4 rebounds per game.
- The Wolf Pack ranked fourth in the WAC in free throw percentage at 71.4 percent and turned in its season high at 91.4 percent Feb. 16 at Idaho (32-35). Nevada also shot a then season-high 85.7 percent from the charity stripe Jan. 12 at Hawai’i and Feb. 14 at Boise State. The team featured three players ranked in the top 10 in the WAC in the category, including senior Marcelus Kemp who was third in the conference and 27th in the NCAA at 86.3 percent. Sophomore Brandon Fields finished fourth in the WAC and 55th in the NCAA at 84.3 percent, including after a 10-of-11 outing Feb. 28 vs. New Mexico State and a 13-of-13 effort Feb. 16 at Idaho. Freshman Armon Johnson was ninth in the conference at 77.6 percent. As a team, Nevada turned in nine 80-percent efforts from the free throw line this season.
- Kemp missed a free throw in the first half Jan. 17 against Idaho, ending a stretch of 22 consecutive made free throw attempts, dating back to the second half of the Dec. 22 game at Northern Iowa. Kemp converted on 100 of his last 112 free throw attempts (89.3 percent) this year. He was perfect from the line in 15 games this year, while on Feb. 11 vs. Utah State, he made 13-of-14 from the charity stripe and went 15-of-16 from the line on Feb. 16 at Idaho.
- The Wolf Pack defense held San Jose State to 46 points on Feb. 7, a season low for a Wolf Pack opponent. The Wolf Pack held Fresno State to just 57 points on March 13 and has won 52 of its last 54 games when holding its opponent to 60 points or less, including a 13-1 record in 2005-06, a 6-1 mark in 2006-07 and a 6-0 record this season. San Jose State also shot just 30.4 percent from the field (17-56), a season low for a Wolf Pack opponent.
- Sophomore Ray Kraemer knocked down nine of his 13 three-point attempts in the last 15 games of the year (69.2 percent), including 2-of-2 Jan. 31 vs. Fresno State, a career-best 3-of-3 Feb. 7 vs. San Jose State and 2-of-2 Feb. 9 vs. Hawai’i. Kraemer averaged 2.5 points per game (38) and made 61.9 percent of his field goal attempts (13-21) in the last 15 contests of the year. On the season, Kraemer averaged 1.6 points per game and shot 47.8 percent from three-point land (11-23).
- Sophomore Brandon Fields averaged 12.4 points per game this season, up from 2.0 points per game last season (+10.4), while fellow sophomore JaVale McGee averaged 14.1 points per contest, up from 3.4 ppg last season (+10.7). McGee’s rebounding numbers were also up by 5.1 boards per contest (7.3 rpg per game this year, 2.2 last).
- Senior Demarshay Johnson started 24 of 33 games this season, including the last 18 contests of the year. He finished fifth on the team with 6.5 points per game and was third with 4.6 rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 19 points Dec. 31 vs. Cal State Stanislaus and pulled down a career high-tying 11 rebounds Jan. 17 vs. Idaho. Johnson led the Wolf Pack in rebounding seven times this year, including nine rebounds in the team’s March 14 WAC Tournament loss at New Mexico State and seven in its CBI loss to Houston on March 18.
- Nevada opened the year with a 2-4 record for the first time since the 2002-03 season but won 19 of its last 27 games for a 21-12 record. That season, Nevada played five of its first seven games on the road and turned in a 2-5 mark before winning its next three contests. The 2002-03 team finished with an 18-14 record and made a trip to the postseason NIT, the first of Nevada’s current streak of six consecutive postseason appearances for the Wolf Pack (one NIT bid, four NCAA appearances and a CBI invitation).
- Nevada’s starting lineup in eight games this year featured just one senior (Marcelus Kemp), three sophomores (Matt LaGrone, JaVale McGee, Brandon Fields) and one true freshman (Armon Johnson). Nevada turned in a 6-2 record in those games. The starting lineup featured two sophomores and one freshman in 23 other games (13-10 record).
- Nevada started its four seniors - forwards David Ellis and Demarshay Johnson and guards Marcelus Kemp and Curry Lynch - on Senior Night March 1 vs. La Tech. It marked the first start of Lynch's career.
- The Dec. 8 victory over Montana State snapped the Wolf Pack’s first three-game losing streak since dropping five straight contests at the end of the 2000-01 season. The Nov. 28 loss to Cal marked Nevada’s first back-to-back losses in the same season since 2005-06. The Wolf Pack lost its second-round NCAA game to Memphis last year and opened this season with a 63-60 loss at UCF on Nov. 11, but the team had not dropped back-to-back losses in the same season since falling to Fresno State and Utah State in January of 2006. Head coach Mark Fox’s squads have dropped back-to-back games just six times in his four seasons and hold a 22-7 record following a loss in his tenure.
- Sophomore forward JaVale McGee, sophomore guard Brandon Fields and true freshman guard Armon Johnson all made their first career starts for the Wolf Pack on Nov. 11 at UCF. Johnson marked the first Wolf Pack true freshman to start a game since WAC Freshman of the Year Ramon Sessions started 31 of 32 games in 2004-05.
NEVADA GARNERS THREE WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
Nevada senior guard Marcelus Kemp was named the WAC Player of the Week for Feb. 11-17. It was the second WAC Player of the Week honor for the senior this season and the third for the Wolf Pack this year.
Kemp, a senior from Seattle, Wash., averaged 29.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in Nevada’s games against Utah State, Boise State and Idaho in February. He had just two turnovers all week. The senior shot 49.0 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three-point range and 91.4 percent from the free throw line. Kemp scored a career-high 35 points on 9-of-17 shooting (4-of-8 from three-point land) in Nevada’s win over Utah State. He also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out a season-high six assists with no turnovers against Utah State. He turned in 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the loss at Boise State and added his second 30-point effort of the season in the win at Idaho, scoring 32 points on 8-of-14 shooting (.571 percent). The guard made 15-of-16 free throw attempts in the victory over the Vandals.
Sophomore guard Brandon Fields was named the WAC Player of the Week for Dec. 10-16. This marked the first WAC Player of the Week honor for the sophomore. Fields, a sophomore from Arlington, Texas, turned in career highs for scoring in both of Nevada’s wins that week. He averaged 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in wins against San Diego and Central Florida. He shot 50 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three-point land on the week. Fields also made 85.7 percent of his free throw attempts. He scored a then career-best 17 points in a Dec. 12 victory over San Diego. He made three three-pointers in the game and blocked a career-best two shots against the Toreros. Fields bested that career mark with 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting Dec. 16 against Central Florida, matching his career best with four three-pointers against the Knights.
Kemp won Nevada’s first WAC honor of the season, being named the WAC Player of the Week for Nov. 12-18. It marked the third career WAC Player of the Week honor for the senior from Seattle, Wash. Kemp averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in Nevada’s wins over UC Irvine and Santa Clara. He shot 60 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point land. He turned in 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, six rebounds and two steals in Nevada’s win at UC Irvine on Nov. 13. He also scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting in the Wolf Pack’s victory over Santa Clara on Nov. 17, making 3-of-6 three-point attempts against the Broncos.
WOLF PACK INKS TOP 25 CLASS IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Luke Babbitt of Reno, Nev., London Giles of Dallas, Texas, and Mark McLaughlin of Kenmore, Wash., have signed national letters of intent to study and play basketball at the University of Nevada beginning in 2008-09, fourth-year head coach Mark Fox announced on Nov. 14.
Nevada’s fall signing class was listed among the best in the nation. Rivals.com had the Wolf Pack’s recruiting class ranked 22nd in the nation, while Scout.com listed the Wolf Pack 23rd in the country. Rivals.com also listed the best signing player at each position for each conference, and Giles was listed as the best point guard coming into the Western Athletic Conference, McLaughlin as the best shooting guard and Babbitt as the best power forward.
A 6-8, 220-pound power forward, Babbitt comes to Nevada from Galena High School in Reno. Last year, he was named the 2007 Northern 4A Region Co-Player of the Year with current Wolf Pack freshman Armon Johnson. He averaged 27.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and led Galena to the 2007 Nevada state championship last season. Babbitt was voted No. 3 on the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s prestigious “Best of the West” team and is listed as the 24th-best player in the country by Scout.com.
Giles is a 6-3, 180-pound guard out of Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas. He was named the District 14 4A Newcomer of the Year last season after leading his team to a 23-10 record. Giles averaged 10.5 points and 6.3 assists per game as a junior and is listed as the 14th-best player in the state of Texas by TexasHoops.com.
McLaughlin is a 6-5, 175-pound guard from Inglemoor High School in Kenmore, Wash. He was the second-leading scorer in King County 4A last year with 24 points per game. McLaughlin is listed among the top 100 players in the country by the national recruiting services, including the 16th-best shooting guard in the country by Scout.com, and also checked in at No. 14 on this year’s Long Beach Press-Telegram’s “Best in the West” team.
WAC TOURNAMENT TO RETURN TO RENO IN 2009 & 2010
The University of Nevada has been selected to host the 2009 and 2010 Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournaments.
The university and the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) will play host to the tournaments at the 11,536-seat Lawlor Events Center, located on the university campus in Reno. The 2009 tournament will be played March 10-14, and the 2010 tournament will run from March 9-13.
That will mark the third and fourth times that Nevada will serve as host to the WAC’s basketball tournaments with the event being held in Reno in 2005 and 2006. As a member of the Big West Conference, Nevada also served as the host of the conference tournament five years from 1996-2000.
