NEVADA AT AIR FORCE PREVIEW

RENO, Nev. – Nevada (6-3) begins Mountain West play at Air Force (4-5, 1-0 MW) on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT.  The Wolf Pack has won a season-high four in a row and the Falcons the last two.  The AFA opened MW play on Wednesday with an 86-77 victory at Wyoming.

Lavelle Scottie tops the Falcons in scoring at 13.3 points per game and rebounding grabbing 6.1 a contest.  A.J. Walker (12 ppg) and Ryan Swan (11.1 ppg) are also scoring in double figures.  In the win at Wyoming the Falcons made 17 3-pointers, one off the school record.

Nevada has a balanced offensive attack as four players are scoring in double figures led by Jazz Johnson's 18.8 points per game that ranks second in the Mountain West.  

The do everything Jalen Harris is scoring 16.1 points per game and tops the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and assists (4.8 apg).  Seniors Lindsey Drew (13.2 ppg) and Nisré Zouzoua (10.6 ppg) round out the Pack's double figure scorers.

THE SERIES
Nevada leads the series 11-2 and has won the last seven meetings and is 5-2 at Clune Arena.  

ON THE AIR

AT&T SportsNet will carry the game with Drew Goodman on play-by-play and Sed Bonner working as the analyst.  Taylor McGregor is the sideline reporter.

The game can be heard on 94.5 FM in northern Nevada with John Ramey calling all the action.  Online the game is available at TuneIn.com

Important links to follow the Wolf Pack:
Online audio:
Live stats:
Twitter: @NevadaHoops

WOLF PACK WINNERS OF FOUR IN A ROW

Nevada has its last four games all by double figures.  The Wolf Pack swept its way to the 2019 Paradise Jam Championship with a 74-60 victory over Fordham, downed Valparaiso 84-59 in the semifinals and knocked off Bowling Green 77-62 in the title game.  The largest margin of victory came in the fourth win as Nevada defeated Santa  Clara 98-67.

The Pack did not trail in three of the four games; Fordham, Valpo and SCU.  In the BGSU game Nevada trailed for just 41 seconds, 2-0 before a 3-pointer put them ahead to stay 3-2.

In the four games Nevada is averaging 83.2 points and is holding opponents to just 62 points. From the field the Pack is shooting 47.2 (120-of-254) percent and 45.9 (50-of-109) percent from behind the arc.   Opponents are shooting 36 percent overall and just 20.4 percent on 3-pointers.  

Jalen Harris is averaging 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.  Jazz Johnson is scoring 19.5 points per contest and is shooting 59.4 percent from behind the arc making 19-of-32.  Nizré Zouzoua is contributing 11.3 points per game and has made 10-of-20 3-pointers.

        
JOHNSON KNOCKING DOWN THE 3S

Wolf Pack senior Jazz Johnson has been knocking down the 3-pointers at a high rate this season having made 36-of-75.  The 36 made 3-pointers and 4.0 made per game leads the Mountain West.  The 36 made 3s is second in NCAA I and four made per game is third. His 48 percent shooting from behind the arc is 21st in the country.

At the Paradise Jam he made 60 percent of his 3-pointers connecting on 15-of-25 in three games.  In the title game he made 7-of-10.  The seven made tied his career-high that also occurred at Air Force last season and is tied for the most made by a player in the MW this season.  He has made a 3-pointer in each game this season and three or more in eight contests.

Johnson leads the Pack and is second in the MW averaging 18.8 points per game.  Four times he has scored 20 or more points; 20 vs. LMU, 26 vs. USC, 25 vs. BGSU and 20 vs. SCU.  In the USC, BGSU and SCU games the point totals were game highs.

He ranks in the top 50 in six NCAA statistical categories.  
    
Johnson has scored 1,271 points in his career with 740 coming in his two years at Portland.

ZOUZOUA PROVIDING SPARK OFF THE BENCH

Senior Nisré Zouzoua has provided a spark off the bench in his second year in the program.  Zouzoua is fourth on the team averaging 10.6 points per game and is third dishing out 2.1 assists per game.

In four of the last five games Zouzoua has scored in double figures and five times on the season. He scored nine points in each of the first two games of the season which were then Nevada career highs.  Against UT Arlington he nearly doubled that netting 16 points, making 6-of-8 shots from the field of which 3-of-5 were from behind the arc.

At the Paradise Jam he averaged 11 points per game. He scored 11 points in the win over Fordham and 15 in the victory against Valparaiso.

    
MOUNTAIN WEST PLAY BEGINS THIS WEEK

Mountain West play began on Wednesday but with the odd number of teams in the conference Nevada received a bye and opens play on Saturday at Air Force.

San Diego State, UNLV, Utah State and Air Force all won on Wednesday.

Saturday's games include Nevada at Air Force, New Mexico at Wyoming, Fresno State at Utah State, and Colorado State at Boise State.  UNLV plays a non-conference game at BYU.

LAST TIME OUT

NEVADA RUNS PAST SANTA CLARA 98-67 

RENO, Nev. (AP) Jazz Johnson scored 20 points, making four 3-pointers, and Nevada demolished Santa Clara's five-game win streak 98-67 Wednesday night.

Zane Meeks also hit four from distance, finishing with a career-high 16 points, and Jalen Harris came close to a triple-double with 16 points, 11 boards and eight assists. Nisre Zouzoua added 12 points and Robby Robinson 10 for the Wolf Pack (6-3).

Nevada led from start to finish, shot 53% for the game (34-for-64) and was 14-for-28 from behind the 3-point arc. The Wolf Pack dominated the boards, outrebounding Santa Clara 52-37, and had 26 assists on 34 baskets.

The Broncos (8-2) made just 4 of 29 3-pointers and shot 35% from the field overall. No one reached double figures, but Jalen Williams and DJ Mitchell each scored eight.

UP NEXT: at BYU

Nevada continues its road trip at BYU (6-4) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. PT.  The game will air on ESPNU.  The Cougars host UNLV on Saturday before hosting the Wolf Pack.



To purchase tickets call 775-348-PACK or go to NevadaWolfPack.com.