Nevada (8-4) vs. Air Force Academy (6-5)
Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021
Reno, Nev. – Lawlor Events Center

Live Stream/TV: Nevada Sports Net
Radio: CBS 94.1 FM / TuneIn.com (Larry Burnett)

The Pack opens conference play vs. Air Force on Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in Lawlor Events Center ... The game will be broadcasted live on Nevada Sports Net ... Larry Burnett will have the call on CBS Sports Radio 94.1 FM and 1450 AM with a 20-minute pregame show prior to tipoff ... Fans can also listen live online via TuneIn or on the TuneIn app ... Live stats are available at NevadaWolfPack.com... Nevada looks to open Mountain West play with a win over Air Force ...  The Pack reached a seven-game win streak, the longest of head coach Amanda Levens' tenure, after tallying a win over Eastern Washington on Dec. 19 before falling to Washington on Dec. 20.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Nevada holds a 16-4 series edge over Air Force. Nevada has won the last three meetings with its last win on March 4, 2021 when the Pack defeated the Falcons 69-58. Nevada also took down the Falcons on March 3, 2021, 59-56.  
 
LAST TIME OUT (L, 58-42 vs. Washington)

• Nevada was led offensively by senior Da'Ja Hamilton and Lexie Givens, who each tallied 10 points
• Hamilton, in her third-consecutive game scoring in double figures, totaled two rebounds and one assist while scoring Nevada's first six points of the game
• Givens posted her second-straight game in double figures after registering a double-double against Eastern Washington
• Against Washington, Givens grabbed three rebounds to go along with two steals and one assist
• Seniors Nia Alexander and Kylie Jimenez and freshman Audrey Roden each tabbed five points
• Alexander added a team-high five rebounds.  Kenna Holt recorded four rebounds, three points, two steals and two assists

 
LEVENS, PACK WIN SEVEN STRAIGHT
After defeating Eastern Washington on Dec. 19 at the Husky Classic in Seattle, the Nevada women's basketball team also secured its seventh-consecutive victory, the longest win streak of head coach Amanda Levens' tenure at Nevada. Despite losing the first game of the 2021 Nugget Classic presented by the University of Nevada to Drake, the Pack fired back and recorded gutsy victories over Idaho and San Francisco. The momentum didn't stop there with Nevada also grabbing two wins over Cal Poly and Pacific before taking down UC Merced and Bushnell at home to record six-straight wins. Then, Nevada defeated Eastern Washington to move its win streak to seven.
 
ALL-AROUND DEFENSE
It's no secret that Nevada's defensive intensity has played a large role in its success this season. The Pack held UC Merced and Bushnell to just 41 and 42 points in its back-to-back wins at home. Nevada's 80-42 win over Bushnell marked the third-largest margin of victory in program history (tied with Nevada's 38-point win over LaVerne on Jan. 13, 1982). The largest margin of victory in program history is its 50-point win against Lassen on Nov. 21, 1981.
 
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK X3
Audrey Roden was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week on Nov. 22, Dec. 6 and again on Dec. 20. Roden recorded a career-high 22 points and three rebounds in the Pack's win over Pacific on Dec. 4. Roden led the Pack with five rebounds and also added two assists and one steal against the Wolverines. Roden scored 14 of her 17 points in the first half, including knocking down three three-pointers. Roden followed up her performance against Pacific with another big night vs. UC Merced, leading Nevada with 17 points, two rebounds and two assists. Against Eastern Washington, Roden netted a team-high 18 points to go along with a career-high two blocks, two rebounds and one assist. Roden shot 4-for-6 from three, while knocking down two crucial threes in the fourth quarter.
 
Roden is the first Nevada player to receive a weekly honors since Nia Alexander earned Mountain West Player of the Week on Dec. 30, 2019. 
 
LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 9
Nevada has cruised to an eight-win season so far this year. In a shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, Nevada tabbed a 13-9 win streak and fifth-place conference finish, the program's best conference finish since the 2013-14 season. 
 
CLUTCH VICTORIES
The 2021 Nugget Classic presented by the University of Nevada was filled with four strong teams and six intriguing matchups. Nevada bounced back after its loss to Drake to claim two crucial wins over Idaho and San Francisco. The wins didn't come easy, but Nevada never backed down to the challenge. Down by one with six seconds left, senior Nia Alexander's hard cut to the basket during a baseline inbound resulted in two free throws. Alexander showed she wasn't afraid of big moments after sinking them both to propel Nevada to a 61-60 victory over the Idaho Vandals. The Pack tallied another win over San Francisco after Da'Ja Hamilton's clutch three at the final buzzer took the game into overtime. Nevada, which controlled the overtime period, cruised to a 73-67 win. Moral of the story: don't count the Pack out, even when down in a game's final minutes. Nevada showed it can inch itself back into a game and find a way to win.
 
ALEXANDER RECORDS 800TH CAREER POINT
Nia Alexander recorded her 800th career point on Nov. 20 after netting 15 points against Utah Valley. 
 
HAMILTON: LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF 800 CAREER POINTS
Da'Ja Hamitlon is on track to hit 800 career points and beyond this season. Hamilton currently sits at 787 points this season. Hamilton recorded her highest scoring output this season in Nevada's opener vs. Saint Mary's, tallying 20 points, four rebounds, one steal and one assist. Hamilton has recorded double figures in scoring in seven games so far this season. Hamilton recorded three-consecutive games in double figures against San Francisco (18), Cal Poly (17) and Pacific (19). 
 
Hamilton has also stepped up in big moments this season. Down three in the final seconds against San Francisco, Hamilton's three pushed the game into overtime and led Nevada to victory. 
 
WINNING AT THE LINE
Nevada is fifth in the country in free throw percentage (80.77 percent) and second in the Mountain West through 12 games. Nia Alexander's crucial free throws against Idaho secured a Wolf Pack win at the Nugget Classic. Nevada was down by one in the game's final six seconds. Alexander's hard cut under the basket on an inbound led to an Idaho foul and sent her to the line. Alexander was unphased at the line, hitting both free throws. Head coach Amanda Levens praised the team's dedication to free throws during the off-season, which is paying off for the team so far this season. 
 
A DYNAMIC DUO
Reunited for the first time since high school, the Jimenez sisters are making the most of their time together. Both had standout weekend's against Drake, Idaho and San Francisco. Kylie led Nevada offensively vs. Drake, tallying 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. In game two vs. Idaho, Kylie also tabbed 12 points, five rebounds and four steals. Alyssa had a breakout weekend as well, recording eight points, four rebounds, one block and one steal against Idaho before registering a career-high 14 points to go along with three rebounds and a steal in Nevada's 73-67 win over San Francisco. Kylie followed with another strong performance against Cal Poly, netting 11 points while adding four rebounds, one steal and one assist. The duo has started eight games together this season. 
 
JIMENEZ NAMED MW NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Graduate transfer Kylie Jimenez was named Preseason Mountain West New- comer of the Year on Oct. 13. Jimenez, a Colorado native and grad transfer from Portland State, is the sister of Wolf Pack guard Alyssa Jimenez. Kylie Jimenez played a huge role for the Vikings the past four seasons as she tied the school record with 122 starts, which is every game she played in. Throughout her career, the 5-foot-6 guard earned many accolades including Big Sky Freshman of the Year, All-Big Sky Third Team twice, an All-Big Sky honorable mention, a Big Sky Player of the Week honor, and was named to the 2019 All-Big Sky Tournament team. She helped her team to a 25-win season during her sophomore campaign, a Big Sky Tournament Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
 
She followed that performance up with two near 20-point games at Boise State, scoring 19 in game one and 18 in game two. Against Air Force, she scored in double figures in both games, and led the team with 17 points in game two, including three 3-pointers.
 
NEW STAFF ADDITIONS
The Pack welcomes three new staffing additions ahead of the 2021-22 season: Asami Morita (assistant coach), Savannah Reier (graduate assistant) and Logan Shaw (graduate assistant). 
 
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
• #3 Kylie Jimenez | 5-6 | G | Gr. | Thornton, Colo./Horizon HS/Portland State
• #4 Audrey Roden | 5-9 | G | Fr. | West Linn, Ore./West Linn HS
• #5 Kaylee Borden | 5-6 | G | Fr. | Anadarko, Okla./Anadarko HS
• #33 Hannah Hartley | 5-11 | F | Fr. | Reno, Nev./Galena HS
• #52 Natalie Lathrop | 6-3 | F | Fr. | Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin HS
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
By Class: Senior (6), Junior (2), Sophomore (7), Freshmen (4)
By State: California (4), Nevada (4), Colorado (1), Oregon (2) , Arizona (1), Alaska (1), Oklahoma (1), Washington (1)
By Country: United States of America (17), Czech Republic (1), Montenegro (1)
By Position: Guard (12), Forward (7)
 
HISTORICAL TEAM INFORMATION
The University of Nevada women's basketball program began in the year 1899, when the team, coached by Ada Edwards, earned its first win over a varsity opponent, Stanford. Since its inception in 1899, records of the program's history have not accurately been kept up to date. For the purposes of all records, wins and losses and other statistical information related to the Nevada women's basketball program, the 1981-82 season will be considered the first for the program, the first year women's basketball was recognized by the NCAA.