RENO, Nev. (AP) Caleb Martin poured in 24 points, scored on successive possessions in the last two minutes and Lindsey Drew swatted away a potential game-tying shot with two seconds to go as Nevada held off New Mexico 77-74 on Saturday.
Jordan Caroline added 21 points and 10 rebounds, his 20th double-double, for the Wolf Pack (13-3, 2-0 Mountain West), Drew scored 13. Nevada is 19-1 in games where Caroline double-doubles.
New Mexico (6-9, 1-1) was inbounding from under the basket with 2.3 seconds remaining. Sam Longwood got the ball to McNeal in the corner, but his 3-pointer was slapped out of bounds by Drew.
Trailing 42-34 at the half, New Mexico tied 70-70 after a 7-0 run capped by back-to-back Anthony Mathis 3-pointers with 4:55 to play. Martin answered with a jumper and scored the last six Nevada points from the field. Caroline added a free throw with 17 seconds left.
Mathis, 17 points on five 3-pointers, and McNeal came up empty as the Lobos missed twice from distance in the last seven seconds.
Game Notes:
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Nevada improved to 13-3 and 2-0 in Mountain West play after its 77-74 home win over New Mexico (6-9, 1-1 MW) at home this afternoon.
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The Wolf Pack hosts Wyoming (10-4, 1-0 MW) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Lawlor Events Center.
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Today's attendance of 9,530 is a season high.
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Nevada has won its last 12 home games and last six MW games played at home.Â
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The Pack has won its last eight MW games, four at home and four on the road.
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The Pack is 36-4 at Lawlor Events Center under third-year head coach Eric Musselman.Â
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Musselman is 2-0 in MW play for the first time.
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Junior Jordan Caroline posted his sixth double-double of the season with his 21 points and game-high 10 rebounds today. It is the 20th double-double of his career and Nevada is 19-1 when Caroline posts a double-double.
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Caroline has scored 20 or more points in a game seven times this season.
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Junior Caleb Martin produced his eighth game of 20 or more points finishing with a game-high 24 today. It is the ninth time he led the Pack in scoring and eighth time he posted a game high.
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Senior Kendall Stephens has made three or more 3-pointers in each of the last five games.
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Stephens has scored in double figures a season-high five games in a row and reached the mark in eight of the last night games.
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Lindsey Drew scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season.Â
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The 13 points tied his season high that he also had last game on Wednesday at Fresno State.
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Drew blocked a season-high three shots, one off his career high of four.
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Today's win is the closest margin of the season at three points and just the second victory decided by less than 10 points.
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Today marked the eighth time Nevada has had four players score in double figures.
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Nevada has had a 20-point scorer in 14-of-16 games this season and 19 in the other two.
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