HONOLULU, HI. - Coming off of a  masterful performance in which the Nevada Men's Basketball team earned a dominant 88-75 victory over TCU Friday afternoon, the Pack will face yet another difficult test, as they are set to take on ACC foe Georgia Tech on Christmas Eve in the Championship game of the 2023 Diamond Head Classic. 

Sunday's Championship game is slated to tip-off at 6 p.m. (PT) and will be available for viewing on ESPN. The game will be aired over the radio on KNEV 95.5 FM and through the Varsity Network app.

The Pack put on a sensational display in the victory over TCU, scoring 88 points on an immaculate 52.5 percent clip from the field, including a mark of 47.1 percent from behind the arc. 

Nevada did an exceptional job of taking care of the ball against one of the most prolific teams in the country at forcing turnovers, as the Pack finished the contest with just eight turnovers, and TCU in turn scored just eight points off turnovers, well below their average of 21 points per game off turnovers entering the semifinal matchup.

The Pack forced TCU into 11 turnovers and scored 21 points off turnovers throughout the game. 

Nevada was excellent at getting to the free throw line and converting their opportunities from the line, as they knocked down 28 of 35 attempts for a clip of 80 percent. 

Individually, all five starters for the Pack reached double figures in scoring, led by fifth-year senior guard Jarod Lucas' game-high 25 points. Lucas reached 25 points on a highly efficient 5-9 shooting from the field, 2-5 from behind the arc, and a perfect 13-13 at the free throw line. Lucas also matched a career-high by pulling down six rebounds, three of which came on the offensive glass, and he completed the contest with a plus/minus of +15.

Lucas has been playing at an elite level at the Diamond Head Classic, as he ranks second of all players in the tournament in scoring, averaging 23.5 points per game over the Pack's victories against Temple and TCU. Lucas has reached double figures in scoring in all 12 games for Nevada this season, and in 40 of 45 games since the start of the 2022-23 season. 

Lucas not only leads the team, but also ranks fifth in the Mountain West in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game this season. He also ranks first in the conference in made free throws (73), second in free throw percentage (92.4%) and ninth in made 3-pointers per game (1.92).

Kenan Blackshear scored 14 points, dished out a game-high six assists, pulled down two rebounds, and recorded two steals in the Pack's semifinal victory. Blackshear has also been playing at an exceptional level throughout the Diamond Head Classic, as he ranks second out of all players in the tournament in assists per game (5.5 APG), fifth in assist/turnover ratio, tenth in scoring (15.0 PPG), 12th in field goal percentage (47.6%), and tied for 13th in rebounds per game (5.5 RPG). 

Blackshear also ranks within the top-20 in the Mountain West in numerous individual statistical categories this season. The fifth-year senior guard is seventh in the conference in assists per game (4.7 APG), 12th in points per game (15.7 PPG), and 15th in rebounds per game (5.6 RPG).

Nick Davidson continued what has been a sensational tournament for the redshirt-sophomore, scoring 11 points on 6-9 shooting from the field, while also pulling down five rebounds. Davidson is currently leading the Diamond Head Classic in rebounding (10.5 RPG), in addition to ranking third in field goal percentage (68.4%), and eighth in scoring (16.5 PPG).

Davidson's tremendous sophomore campaign has him ranked within the top-15 in the Mountain West in a multitude of categories, including ranking sixth in rebounding (7.2 RPG), ninth in blocks per game (1.1 BPG), and 13th in field goal percentage (56.5%).

Daniel Foster, who filled in for K.J. Hymes in the Wolf Pack starting against TCU after Hymes was forced to miss his second consecutive game due to injury, was outstanding for the Pack. Foster scored 13 points on 2-2 shooting from behind the arc and 7-8 at the free throw line, while also pulling down a team-high seven rebounds and recording two steals. Foster has had a tremendous two-game stretch in the Diamond Head Classic; and, the senior guard ranks second out of all players in the tournament in blocks (1.5 BPG), second in defensive rebounding (6.5 per game), tied for fifth in rebounds per game (8.0 RPG), seventh in free throw percentage (87.5%), and tenth in steals (1.5 SPG). 

Senior forward Tre Coleman was the fifth Wolf Pack player to reach double figures against the Horned Frogs, putting up 10 points on 4-7 shooting from the field, including 1-3 from behind the arc. Coleman has maintained his exceptional prowess on the defensive end of the court, and he currently ranks first on the team and 15th in the Mountain West in steals per game (1.3 SPG). Coleman has also been outstanding from the free throw line this season, as he ranks ninth in the conference in free throw percentage with a clip of 86.4 percent.

As a team, Nevada continues to be one of the premier teams in the country at taking care of the ball, as they rank tied for 12th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.5), 41st in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), and tied for 49th in turnover margin (+3.0). 

The Pack has also maintained one of the most prolific defenses in the Mountain West and in the entire country this season, as Nevada currently ranks first in the Mountain West and 29th in the nation in opponent field goal percentage, limiting opposing teams to just 38.8 percent shooting from the field. Nevada also ranks first in the conference and tied for 47th in the country in opponent points per game (64.8 PPG), as well as ranking third in the Mountain West and 76th in the nation in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (30.0%).

Nevada has been exceptional in multi-team events under Head Coach Steve Alford, as they enter Sunday's Championship game with a record of 11-2 in MTE's, and the Pack has won two Championships under Alford's watch (2019 Paradise Jam & 2021 Crossover Classic). 

Nevada will aim to win another MTE Championship on Christmas Eve, however, an athletic and fast paced Georgia Tech team with multiple highly impressive wins this season will stand in the way of the Pack's title aspirations.

Scouting Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech plays in one of the premier basketball conferences in the country in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets enter Sunday's Championship game with an overall record of 8-3, including a mark of 1-0 in ACC play, and they are coming off a 73-68 victory over Hawaii in the semifinal round. Georgia Tech is currently on a four-game win streak, and they have already picked up marquee victories over #21 Mississippi State and #7 Duke this season.

The Yellow Jackets are an elite rebounding team, particularly on the offensive glass, as they currently rank 16th in the nation in rebounds per game (43.1 RPG), 13th in the country in offensive boards per game (14.6 per game), and tied for 37th in rebounding margin (+7.4).

Georgia Tech has also been one of the premier shot blocking teams in the nation this season, as their average of 5.2 blocks per game is tied for the 28th best mark in the country. 

The Yellow Jackets play at a very fast pace and consistently try to get out in transition. Georgia Tech ranks 71st in the country in field goal attempts per game, as they are putting an average of 62.4 shots per contest.

Individually, junior guard Miles Kelly leads the way for the Yellow Jackets, as he is averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game on 33.5 percent shooting from the field, in addition to ranking second on the team in rebounds per game (6.1 RPG). Kelly has scored in double figures in 10 of 11 games for Georgia Tech this season, and he is coming off a 14-point, five-rebound, and three-assist outing in the semifinal round. Kelly has the capability to explode on offense, as he has scored 22+ points in three different games, including a season-high mark of 27. 

Junior guard and Florida transfer Kowacie Reeves ranks second on the team in scoring, as he is putting up 11.9 points per game. Reeves is Georgia Tech's best 3-point shooter, as he is shooting a team-high 37.5 percent from behind the arc this season. 

6-foot-9 freshman forward Baye Ndongo commands the paint for the Yellow Jackets, and he is averaging 10.9 points per game on 59.1 percent shooting from the field, in addition to ranking first on the team and sixth in the ACC in rebounds per game, pulling down an impressive 9.3 boards per contest. 

Outside of the trio of Kelly, Reeves, and Ndongo, Georgia Tech relies on a variety of players for offensive production, as the Yellow Jackets have six different players averaging between 4.7 and 8.3 points per game. 

Nevada will need to keep the Yellow Jackets off the offensive glass and have another strong performance on offense in order to defeat Georgia Tech and secure the 2023 Diamond Head Classic Championship.

Series History

Nevada and Georgia Tech have played just once prior to Sunday's matchup, with the Yellow Jackets earning a 72-67 victory over the Pack in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. 

Follow The Pack     

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