Nevada (10-7, 5-5 MW) vs. UNLV (6-7, 3-3 MW)
Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 - 6:30 p.m.
Reno, Nev. - Lawlor Events Center
TV: FS1 (PxP: Daron Sutton, Analyst: Doug Gottlieb)
Radio: ESPN Radio 94.5 FM (PxP: John Ramey, Analyst: Len Stevens)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada (10-7, 5-5 MW) returns to action from a seven-day break and begins a four-game homestand with Sunday's series opener against UNLV.

Sunday's contest will air nationally on FS1, with Daron Sutton and Doug Gottlieb on the call. The contest will also be broadcast in Reno on ESPN Radio 94.5 FM with John Ramey and Len Stevens calling the action.

UP NEXT
The Wolf Pack and Runnin' Rebels will conclude the series Tuesday at 6 p.m., following which Nevada will host first-place Boise State for a two-game series set for Friday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 7.

THE SILVER STATE SERIES
Sunday-Tuesday's two-game series between Nevada and UNLV marks the men's basketball entry into the 2020-21 Silver State Series presented by IBEW Local 401 and Nevada Donor Network.

Originally called the Governor's Series, this all-encompassing competition that established a formal head-to-head athletic and academic challenge between the longtime rivals. Nevada currently leads the 2020-21 Silver State Series, 3-0, after football's win over UNLV in the fall.

Silver State Series points could be on the line this weekend if either team were to sweep the two-game set. Should Nevada sweep UNLV, or UNLV sweep Nevada, that team would earn three points towards the competition.

SCOUTING UNLV
UNLV (6-7, 3-3 MW) earned a split at Utah State from Jan. 25-27, upsetting the Aggies, 59-56, in the opener before having its five-game winning streak snapped with an 83-74 defeat in the finale.

The Runnin' Rebels are led by the play of Bryce Hamilton (18.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.50 apg) and David Jenkins, Jr. (15.8 ppg, 38 3-pointers).

UNLV leads the all-time series against Nevada, 60-31, although the Wolf Pack has controlled things of late, riding a six-game winning streak into Sunday's opener. After UNLV won eight-straight between the 2006-07 and 2012-13 campaigns, Nevada turned the series around, sweeping the 2013-14 meetings to begin a run in which the Pack has gone 12-4 in the head-to-head matchups.

IS THIS WHAT HOME FEELS LIKE?
Lawlor Events Center, the Pack's home, may feel a bit unfamiliar at first due to Nevada living out of its suitcase for much of the first full month of Mountain West play. Last week's series at Wyoming was the team's third road weekend since the post-holiday restart to conference action.

The Wolf Pack, 2-4 away from home in conference play this season was the only Mountain West team to have to go on the road three times within the first four series since conference play restarted full-time the weekend of Dec. 31-Jan. 2. The Pack went 2-2 in consecutive road series against New Mexico (in Lubbock, Texas) and at San Diego State, before going 0-2 at Wyoming Jan. 22 and 24 following one home weekend against Fresno State.

The Pack is hoping that it can finish the latter half of Mountain West play strong thanks to six of its final 10 games at home in Reno, beginning with this four-game homestand against UNLV and Boise State.

WASHINGTON ROUNDING INTO FORM
Redshirt sophomore center Warren Washington was one of the few consistent bright spots for Nevada in Wyoming, averaging a double-double of 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 64.7 percent (11-for-17) from the field and 75.0 percent (12-for-16) from the line.

Washington may just have had his breakout game in the opener at Wyoming on Jan. 22, scoring a career-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting to go with nine rebounds. He followed that up with his first-career double-double in the finale, going for 13 points with 12 rebounds, and hitting seven free throws in eight attempts.

Washington, a transfer from Oregon State who sat out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules, upped his season averages to 9.6 points per game, third on the team, and 5.8 rebounds a game, second on the squad, with a team-best 63.7 field-goal percentage. In Mountain West play, Washington's numbers are even better, as he's gone for 10.9 points and 6.6 rebounds a game while shooting 65.0 percent (39-for-60).

SHERFIELD IN THE NATIONAL, MW STAT RANKINGS
Sophomore point guard Grant Sherfield has been one of the Mountain West's hottest performers since conference play resumed over New Year's Weekend. The Fort Worth, Texas, native has averaged 21.8 points, 5.50 assists, and 4.0 rebounds, while posting FG/3FG/FT percentages of 43.2/34.0/91.8 over the eight games since Dec. 31.

Sherfield is also all over the Mountain West stat rankings in conference games. Through 10 conference games, Sherfield leads the MW in free throws made (92) and attempted (105), ranks second in scoring (19.2 ppg), assists per game (5.70 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.48), and free-throw percentage (90.8), seventh in steals per game (1.40 spg), and 10th in field-goal percentage (42.3).

Nationally, Sherfield ranks ninth with 93 assists, eight in free throws made, and 12th in free-throw attempts. His 581 minutes played also rank 17th in the country.