SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Nevada Wolf Pack (4-3) collected its third-consecutive win after taking down the Cal Poly Mustangs (1-4), 61-53, at Mott Athletics Center on Thursday afternoon. Nevada has won four of its last five games.
Senior Da'Ja Hamilton powered Nevada with 17 points, two assists and one steal. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native tallied the Pack's first nine points of the day, spurring a Mustang timeout early in the first. Additionally, Hamilton shot 7-for-11, including 3-for-5 from three. Senior Nia Alexander recorded her third straight double-digit scoring performance after chalking up 14 points, six rebounds and an assist. Alexander netted 10 of her 14 points in the second half. Senior Kylie Jimenez also joined Hamilton and Alexander in double figures with 11 points, four assists, one rebound and one steal. Sophomore Gabby Rones' set a new career-high in scoring with six points after shooting 2-for-6 from three. Sophomore Lexie Givens registered her first career start in a Wolf Pack uniform while adding four points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Nevada opened the game on a 9-0 run thanks to Hamilton's early hot hand, forcing a Cal Poly timeout. Givens knocked down a three at 6:06 to push the Pack's lead back to six (12-6). Nevada controlled the remainder of the first quarter, capturing a 21-14 lead into the second.
Cal Poly grabbed its first lead of the day (22-21) in the second quarter on a three. Then, the Mustangs extended their lead to 26-21 with 4:15 left in the second. Freshman Audrey Roden fired back with a three and two made free throws to tie it up with 2:20 left before half. The Pack comeback didn't stop with Roden. Roden hit Kylie Jimenez on a fast break layup to bring Nevada's lead to 30-26. Then, a Kylie Jimenez three with four seconds left gave the Pack a 33-26 halftime lead.
Hamilton said hello to the third quarter, knocking down a corner three on Nevada's first possession. The Mustangs answered back with a 11-0 run that propelled them to a 37-36 edge at the 3:28 mark in the third. Nevada snapped its scoring drought and regained its lead with a Kylie Jimenez jumper at 2:03 (38-37). Kenna Holt's layup in the paint drove Nevada's lead to 40-37 to end the quarter.
Alexander recorded fourth quarter's first points on a jumper, pushing the lead to 42-37. A Cal Poly three brought the Mustangs within two, but Nevada replied with an Alexander layup (44-40). Hamilton's jumper at 4:27 increased the lead to six before Cal closed the gap on a three. Pivotal back-to-back threes by Hamilton and Rones followed by Alexander made free throws stretched the lead to nine (54-45) with 1:15 left. Another Alexander layup on a Pack inbound play moved the lead to 11. Three timeouts between Nevada and Cal Poly slowed down the game's final minute, but made free throws by Alexander and Givens followed by a Kylie Jimenez layup powered Nevada to another victory.
UP NEXT
Nevada travels to Stockton, Calif., for a game vs. Pacific on Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.
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