Reno, Nev. - The Wolf Pack came up short in a close first-round match up of the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic against a very notable SEC team in the Vanderbilt Commodores, with the end score being 71-73.
Following the loss, the Wolf Pack own a record of 4-1 to begin the season, with Vanderbilt continuing their season undefeated with a 5-0 start.
In a tough neutral setting, Nevada struggled on both ends of the court as Vanderbilt put notable ball pressure and defense on the Wolf Pack, resulting in a season-high 16 turnovers overall for Nevada. On the offensive end, the Commodores, primarily known for their small ball play, were able to drive in the paint to score and be more efficient from the outside. In the game, the Commodores were shooting a team average of 29 percent from the three-point line. Tonight, Vanderbilt shot 40 percent on 15 attempts, exceeding their team average during their first four games.
Rolison and Sanders led the Wolf Pack in scoring with 13 a piece.
Brandon Love chipped in eleven points, and Davidson chipped in nine for the Wolf Pack.
The Wolf Pack won the battle from the bench as Nevada ended the game with 28 points from the bench to Vanderbilt's 24.
First Half:
Nevada came out strong, setting the tone with a 12-3 run to start the game. Vanderbilt willed their way back into the game by playing good ball on both sides. The Commodores were led in the 1st half by Edwards and Collins, who had 11 points each. Both Edwards and Collins end the half shooting 5-6 from the outside and shooting a combined 63% from the three-point line on eight attempts to lead the charge from the outside for the Commodores at the end of the game.
The battle was back and forth throughout the first half, ending the first 20-minute period with Vanderbilt only up two to go into the half. The final score of the first half was 37-35.
Second Half:
The gritty battle between both teams continued throughout the second half of the game. The Commodores were led by Hoggard in the second, who scored nine points in the first half and ended with 18 points, seven assists, and two rebounds on 58 percent shooting from the field.
Vanderbilt went on a huge run to get ahead by ten, 53 to 43, with 13:09 left in the second half. However, Nevada battled back, bringing it back within three with 2:37 left of play.
Unfortunately, the Wolf Pack would bring it back to as close as 2 points, with the game ending on a delayed attempt from the Wolf Pack on a buzzer beater.
Nevada went on to fall to Vanderbilt, logging the Wolf Pack's first loss of the season. Vanderbilt remains undefeated heading into the semi-finals of the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic.
Notable Stats:
- Nevada had eight players score at least four points for the Pack
- Nevada had 44 paint points to Vanderbilt's 38
- Nevada held Vanderbilt to 16.7 percent from the three-point line in the second half
- Nevada's biggest lead was 10 points with 13:27 left in the 1st half.
Up Next:
The Wolf Pack will play on the second day of the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic in the consolation bracket against Virginia Commonwealth University at 4:30 p.m. PST on November 22nd. The following matchup will be televised on ESPN+.
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