Nevada (0-0; 0-0 MW) vs. Utah (0-0; 0-0 BIG 12)
Saturday, October 17, 2026 - 1 p.m.
Reno, Nev. - Lawlor Events Center
 
TV/Stream: MW+ (PxP: Nico Horning)
 
RENO, Nev - Nevada kicks off the season with an exhibition game against Utah Runnin' Utes on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. This will be the second year in a role that the Pack will face the Runnin' Utes in an exhibition game. Last season, Nevada came out on top with an 80–77 score at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 
SCOUTING THE RUNNIN' UTES
The Runnin' Utes opened its season with an exhibition game against UNLV last Wednesday (Oct. 7) in Las Vegas with a 79-69 victory.
 
Trey Campbell led Utah offense with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, while also making an impact on the defense with two blocks.
 
TJ Burch came off the bench to help the Utes on both sides of the ball, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, and four steals on 8-for-10 shooting from the foul line.
 
Taison Chatman and Jackson Holcombe chipped in nine points apiece, while having four rebounds, three assists, and six boards, four assists, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
The Pack will continue the exhibition slate with a contest against Portland State on Sunday, Oct. 25 at Lawlor Events Center. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. with the game being broadcasted at MW+.
 
Nevada will officially open its season against Robert Morris on Monday, Nov. 2 at Lawlor Events Center. The game is set to start at 7 p.m.
 
BACK WITH THE PACK
The Pack will feature four returning players in 2026-27, with Elijah Price, Vaughn Weems, Myles Walker and Peyton White back from last season's 24-13 squad. Price started all 37 games in 2025-26, averaging 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while Weems started 25 of 34 appearances and averaged 10.1 points and 4.2 rebounds. Walker appeared in 32 games as a freshman, averaging 7.7 minutes per game, while White played in 36 contests and averaged 4.6 points and 1.7 rebounds.
 
Price returns to the Pack after a standout redshirt sophomore season as he earned 2025-26 All-Mountain West Second Team and All-Mountain West Defensive Team after his performance.
 
PRICE, WEEMS EARN PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST HONORS; NEVADA PICKED THIRD
Nevada Men's Basketball was selected to finish third in the 2026-27 Mountain West Preseason Poll, as announced Wednesday morning at the start of the 2026 Old Trapper Mountain West Basketball Media Days.
 
The Wolf Pack received 148 points in the poll, trailing only New Mexico (179) and Grand Canyon (178). After returning two of the conference's top players, junior forward Elijah Price and senior guard Vaughn Weems, who both were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team.
 
Price earned preseason all-conference recognition for the second consecutive season after a standout 2025-26 campaign, with 37 games started and earning All-Mountain West Second Team and All-Defensive Team honors. In the season, Price averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game while recording 12 double-doubles.
 
Weems enters his senior season following a breakout year in which he appeared in 34 games with 25 starts. The guard emerged as one of Nevada's biggest contributors on both ends of the floor and will play a key leadership role for the Wolf Pack.
 
Nevada was one of four programs to place multiple players on the Preseason All-Mountain West Team, joining Grand Canyon, New Mexico, and UNLV.
 
NEWCOMERS READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT
Highlighting a group of 10 newcomers (six transfers, four freshmen) is guard Styles Phipps, who started all 32 games at Pepperdine in 2025-26 and averaged 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Also joining the Pack are guards TJ Coulter, Keyon Kensie Jr. and Peter Bandelj, centers Simon Majok and Cedric Lath, and freshmen Hudson Lucas, Kade Snyder, SJ Madison and John Mattingly.
 
ALL AROUND THE WORLD
Nevada's 2026-27 roster features three international players in Simon Majok (Akak, South Sudan), Cedric Lath (Abidjan, Ivory Coast), and Peter Bandelj (Ljubljana, Slovenia). The trio represents the Wolf Pack's largest group of international players since the 2020-21 season, when Nevada had four.
 
PACK GOES LOCAL
The Wolf Pack's 2026-27 roster features two hometown players, junior TJ Coulter (Sparks, Nev.) and Kade Snyder (Reno, Nev.), marking the first time since the 2020-21 season that Nevada has had two local players on its roster. Their presence highlights the program's continued connection to the Reno community and its commitment to developing local talent.
 
COACH ALFORD TO RETIRE AFTER THIS SEASON
Steve Alford announced he will retire following the 2026-27 season, bringing to a close a distinguished 36-year head coaching career that has included six NCAA programs and 724 career victories. Entering his eighth season at Nevada, Alford ranks 10th among active Division I coaches in career wins and is one of only two coaches in NCAA history, alongside Rick Pitino, to lead six different programs to the NCAA Tournament. His career résumé includes 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Sweet 16 berths, and 143 Mountain West victories, the second-most among active coaches and third-most in conference history.
 
During his tenure at Nevada, Alford has guided the Wolf Pack to sustained success, compiling 137 wins through the 2025-26 season while averaging 20 victories per year. Under his leadership, Nevada has earned five postseason invitations, including two NCAA Tournament appearances and a 2025-26 NIT Quarterfinal run. The Wolf Pack returned to the AP Top 25 in 2023-24 for the first time since 2019 and finished tied for second in a Mountain West that sent a record six teams to the NCAA Tournament. Alford's impact on the program also includes the development of numerous standout players, with 12 earning All-Mountain West honors and several receiving major conference awards.