Box Score Jan. 7, 2017 Box Score
Albuquerque, N.M. - The Nevada Wolf Pack (14-3, 3-1 MW) entered The Pit late Saturday night to see a court they'd never won on before. After a thrilling second-half comeback and a pull-up, game-winning shot from sophomore Jordan Caroline, the Wolf Pack picked up its first road win over the New Mexico Lobos (9-7, 2-2 MW), defeating the home team in overtime 105-104.
The Pack was led by Caroline, who put up what was hands down the biggest game of his career. The sophomore, a transfer from Southern Illinois, scored a conference-high 45 points, including a three with just seconds left in overtime to give Nevada its final lead. Caroline also recorded 13 rebounds, giving him his seventh total and second straight double-double this season.
Senior Marcus Marshall drained the last two threes of regulation to tie it up enroute to his 26 points. Sophomore Cameron Oliver fell just one rebound short of his second double-double in as many games, scoring 13 points and tacking on five blocks. Freshman Devearl Ramsey led the Pack with nine assists.
Both teams started virtually identical, trading four leads and two ties before the first media timeout even rolled out. When it did, it was the Lobos who would hold a 10-7 lead with 14:27 on the clock. As Ramsey and junior Leland King II got into the game, the Lobos began to pull away slightly into the second media timeout, posting a 16-11 lead with 11:48 left in the half. New Mexico continued to build its lead, going up by as much as eight at the 6:23 mark. Nevada then went 5-of-7 before a timeout at 5:53 to cut the Lobos lead in half, trailing 28-24. The Pack couldn't quite complete the comeback, however, as the Lobos began to widen their lead again, forcing Nevada to call a timeout down 38-27 with 2:50 to go in the first half.
The Wolf Pack struggled to gain ground coming out of the second half, trailing to the home team 47-43 with 15:46 to go. Down by as much as 25, the Wolf Pack made a late run, coming within three at 94-91 behind an absolute dominant performance from Caroline and four straight threes from the Pack. At the line, New Mexico's Sam Logwood missed both shots at the line, setting up another wild three from Marshall to tie it up at 94, sending the game to overtime.
The two teams began to duke it out as overtime began, neither team willing to bend. The Pack seemed to be at a disadvantage as both senior D.J. Fenner and Marshall fouled out along with Caroline, Drew and Ramsey all in immediate foul trouble. With 28.9 to play, the Lobos clung to a one-point lead, up 103-102. Fouled, the Lobos were able to tack on another point to go up two before Nevada called a timeout with 8.7 second to go, poised to inbound the ball. Caroline found himself with the rock as he dribbled up the court, found himself a spot just beyond the arc, pulled up and drained it to put Nevada up by one. New Mexico inbounded the ball, a shot went up and bounced off the front of the rim, giving the Pack the 105-104 victory.
Nevada will take a week off before making the tough travel trip to Wyoming, facing the Cowboys on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT on ESPN3.
NOTES:
-With less than three points on the clock, sophomore Jordan Caroline pulled up and drained the game-winning three, moving Nevada to 14-3, 3-1 MW on the season and giving the Wolf Pack its first win in New Mexico since joining the Mountain West.
-Nevada's 105 points and 15 threes made are both season highs.
-Nevada drained five straight threes to tie it up at the end of regulation.
-Sophomore Jordan Caroline put up a career-high 45 points against the Lobos. Caroline had scored 23 at Bradley earlier this season. It marked the third time this year Caroline had eclipsed 20 points.
-Caroline's 45 points are the most by any player in the Mountain West this season and the most by a Wolf Pack player since the 1990-91 season.
-Caroline recorded his seventh double-double of the season, and second straight, ending the night with 45 points and 13 rebounds.
-Caroline also tied his career high in threes made with two and tied his career high in rebounds with 13.
-Caroline has scored more than 10 points in eight of the last nine games, scoring 45 against New Mexico on Saturday night. He fell short of double figures with eight at Fresno State.
-Senior Marcus Marshall eclipsed 20 points for the ninth time this season.
-Marshall kept his season-long streak of double figure scoring alive Saturday night, putting up 26 points against the Lobos.
-Freshman Devearl Ramsey, once again serving as the Wolf Pack's sixth man, set a career high with nine assists.
-Ramsey also drained the first three of his career in the first half against the Lobos.
-Nevada allowed a season-high 104 points.
