Nevada (3-0) vs. UT Arlington (2-1)

Friday, Nov. 18  - 7 p.m.

Arlington, Texas - College Park Center

TV: ESPN+

Radio: ESPN 94.5 FM ( John Ramey) // The Varsity Network app

Live Stream: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/e5f65f49-2a8f-4b35-990d-f81c035c03cd

Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=428715

RENO, Nev. - After initiating the season with three consecutive victories at the Lawlor Events Center, the University of Nevada Men's Basketball team will hit the road for their first time this year, as they will travel to Arlington, Texas to take on UT Arlington on Friday evening.

Preview

The Wolf Pack continued their dominant start to the season against William Jessup, maintaining their exceptional defensive intensity while simultaneously having an offensive explosion, resulting in a 98-54 victory, moving them to 3-0 on the year.

Nevada will now face a talented Ut Arlington team that owns a 2-1 record this season. The Mavericks dropped a close contest at Oklahoma State in their season opener, but they reeled off two straight victories since.

Nevada's defense has been outstanding to start the season, as the Pack currently rank in the top-three of the Mountain West Conference in a plethora of defensive categories, including opponent points per game (1st), blocks (1st), opponent FG percentage (2nd), opponent 3-point FG percentage (2nd), and defensive rebounds (3rd).

The Wolf Pack have limited all three of their opponents to each team's lowest shooting percentage from the field this season.

The Pack have two players currently in the top-10 of the conference in blocks per game, with Tre Coleman ranked ninth (1.3 BPG) and K.J. Hymes ranked second overall (2.3).

Offensively, Nevada has been led by do-it-all point guard Kenan Blackshear and sharpshooter Jarod Lucas.

Blackshear recorded the sixth triple-double in program history and the first since 1979 in the Pack's win over William Jessup on Tuesday night. Blackshear currently ranks first in the entire Mountain West in assists per game, dishing out 7.3 per contest, and he owns a sensational assist/turnover ratio of 3.67. The senior is also averaging 13.7 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals.

Lucas leads the Wolf Pack in scoring and ranks 11th in the conference at 15.0 points per game. Lucas was lethal from 3-point range in Nevada's win over William Jessup, draining 5-10 shots from behind the arc on his way to a game-high 19 points. Lucas also ranks first in the conference in free-throw percentage, and is a perfect 13-13 from the line this year.

Big men Will Baker and Nick Davidson are also averaging double-figures in scoring this season for the Pack. Baker ranks third on the team in points per game, averaging 11.0 per contest on 50 percent shooting from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range.

Davidson had a phenomenal offensive performance against William Jessup, pouring in a career-high 18 points on 4-5 shooting from the field, 2-2 from three, and 8-9 from the free throw line. Davidson is now averaging 10.3 points per game, while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc this season.

Senior forward K.J. Hymes and true-freshman guard Trey Pettigrew will enter Friday night's contest coming off of their best offensive performances of the season.

Hymes made his first start of the season and scored 16 points on 6-10 shooting, while knocking down both of his 3-point attempts.

Pettigrew reached double-figures in scoring for the first time in his college career, scoring 13 points in addition to grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

The Pack will seek to continue their dominant defensive start to the season on Friday night and shut down the Mavericks on the road, while also building on the offensive outburst against William Jessup.

Scouting UT Arlington

UT Arlington brought in 10 new players consisting of transfers and incoming freshmen ahead of the 2022-23 season, and they have had a multitude of offensive contributors to start the season.

After dropping a close game on the road against Oklahoma State to begin the year, the Mavericks have posted back-to-back victories of over 40 points against Southwestern and Hardin-Simmons. UT Arlington has surpassed 100 points scored in each of their two victories this year, and they rank third in the Western Athletic Conference in scoring at 89.7 points per game.

Former JUCO All-American, Taj Anderson, has led the way for the Mavericks, posting a team-high 13.3 points per game this season. Anderson has the ability to get into the paint; however, he is also a solid 3-point shooter. Over half of his field goal attempts this season have come from behind the 3-point line, and he is knocking down 35.3 percent of those shots.

Shemar Wilson also had a strong start to the season for the Mavericks, as he is averaging a double-double this season at 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

In total, UT Arlington has seven different players averaging at least eight points per game.

Defensively, the Mavericks have been solid this season, allowing only 65.7 points per game, while holding their opponents to 40 percent shooting from the field.

Notable Stats:

• Kenan Blackshear scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and tallied 10 assists to achieve the first triple-double by a Wolf Pack Player since 1979 in Nevada's win over William Jessup.
• Nevada has held all three of their opponents this season to less than 38 percent shooting from the field.
• The Pack have three different freshmen that are averaging at least 8.5 points per game.
• Jarod Lucas is tied for first in the nation in free-throw percentage, and Nevada ranks 36th in the country as a team at 77.3 percent.
• The Wolf Pack are 14th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.93)
• Nevada ranks 21st in the country in opponent field goal percentage, limiting opposing teams to just 33.5 percent shooting from the field this season.

Series History

Nevada and UT Arlington have met on the court just once throughout history, with the Wolf Pack earning an 80-73 win over the Mavericks in 2019.

Single-Game Tickets on Sale Now 

Single-game tickets for future Nevada men's basketball home contests are available at www.mynevadatickets.com. Fans may also purchase single-game tickets for the season by phone at 775-348-PACK (7225). Those who have questions or need assistance may also contact the ticket office by phone or by emailing wolfpackticketinfo@unr.edu. 

Follow The Pack 

Follow Nevada Men's Basketball on social media at @NevadaHoops (Twitter), @nevadahoops (Instagram), and on Facebook at @NevadaMBB