Tag: Kenan Blackshear

New Mexico Steals 83-82Road Win From Nevada, Thanks to Jamal Mashburn Jr.

Game Recap: New Mexico 83, Nevada 82 New Mexico sweeps Nevada for the first time since the Craig Neal era. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire New Mexico secures the sweep of Nevada with down to the wire road win in Reno. Reno, NV-The name of …

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 Game Recap: New Mexico 83, Nevada 82

New Mexico sweeps Nevada for the first time since the Craig Neal era.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

New Mexico secures the sweep of Nevada with down to the wire road win in Reno.

Reno, NV–The name of the game this Mountain West season is, win. By any means necessary, on any court possible & any given night. Yes, that’s certainly plenty of any’s for just one article. But that is the only way to survive in this conference this season. As teams are prepared to win at home and on the road on any given night.

Given all of the history between New Mexico & Nevada over the years, fan bases tend to show out when the other Wolf related team comes to town. The last time these two teams met was not too long ago on January 28th, when the Lobos beat Steve Alford’s Wolf Pack 89-55 in front of a packed Pit in Albuquerque.

It was a tale of two shooting performances that night, as the Lobos could not miss. Logging 50% & above shooting numbers from the field, behind the arc & from the charity stripe. While Nevada struggled from all areas of the court.

That game could be notated as the tail end of the Lobos dominant run in the Mountain West. It was also the first win for New Mexico over Nevada in nine previous meetings to go along with being the program’s first win over their former Head Coach, the proverbial cherry on top of the silver sundae.

This far into February though, both teams find themselves fighting for their own post season hopes. Even the Wolf Pack who are coming off of two impressive quad one wins over Top-25 ranked Colorado State & San Diego State just last week.

For both benches, the stakes were high inside the Lawlor Events Center Tuesday night, with eyeballs around the nation staying up late to see Nevada defend their home against New Mexico in the “Biggest Little City on Earth”.

The Lobos started as quick as they began the last time these two met. Taking a 5-2 lead with a Jaelen House three pointer. Both squads would miss a few shots until a Nick Davidson layup gave Nevada their first lead of the game. Back-to-back 4-0 runs on both sides kept things leveled at 11 a piece before a media timeout.

That media driven timeout cooled things down. As both sides received scoring from four different players in those first five minutes of action. Someone didn’t notify Jaelen House, as a quick steal & layup out of the break caused another timeout just seconds later. This time by the Nevada coaching staff.

After another Davidson layup in the paint, Jemarl Baker Jr. knocked down a much needed three pointer. That along with a defensive stop on the other end gave way for a Donovan Dent layup. The Lobos would go on to outscore their hosts 9-5 after that. With yet another Baker Jr. three pointer giving New Mexico a little cushion in their biggest lead of the game.

That lead only continued to grow, with a Mashburn Jr. three pointer increasing it to double digits (32-22) with 6:36 left in the first half.

Nevada wouldn’t stay down for long, not in their own house. Scoring seven points, including a Tre Coleman three pointer which shrunk the lead back down to single digits. But the Lobos answered back, with their long running backcourt duo of House & Mashburn Jr. chipping in four more points to get their lead back to a favorable place.

Each team gave it all they had until the half-time buzzer, as Jarod Lucas scored four straight points to keep his Wolf Pack within striking distance. It was enough to keep his team in the game. But a Mustapha Amzil three pointer was the last bucket before the half, to give New Mexico the 45-35 lead heading into halftime.

Things were pretty leveled on each side. With similar shooting totals, & longtime friends Jaelen House leading his team with 11 points & Jarod Lucas with 8 of his own. Something unexpected was New Mexico’s shooting performance at half-time, knocking down 5-8 three pointers to help give them the 10 point lead.

Nevada started scoring quickly, with a Coleman pull up jumper opening up scoring in the first possession of the second-half. One of three field goals made in the first minute of play.

The Wolf Pack wouldn’t stop there, going on a 7-0 run after having sent Lobo JT Toppin to the free throw line to make the three point play. That 7-0 run shrank the New Mexico lead to just four (48-44), their smallest deficit since the ten minute marker in the first half.

The Wolf Pack’s hot shooting on their home floor to open the half continued. With a Kenan Blackshear pull up, followed by a Nick Davidson dunk down low bringing Nevada to within one point of the Lobo lead (49-48). Prompting a much needed Richard Pitino timeout.

After the break, the two squads stayed neck and neck. Until back-to-back layups by Toppin combined with another from fellow freshman Tru Washington helped the Lobos create some cushion in their lead. Going up 58-52 before Nevada called a timeout of their own. After several misses on each side, a pair of Washington steals would lead to a pair of Donovan Dent field goals.

With the lead back to double-digits (62-52), a media timeout couldn’t have come sooner for Coach Alford. His team responded well, making shots & making New Mexico earn theirs at the charity stripe (next 4 Lobo points, come from Mashburn Jr. FTs).

But in the face of continuous comeback attempts from their hosts, New Mexico stayed composed. With Amzil’s second three pointer of the night helping widen their lead, only for a Jarod Lucas three on the other end to help close it yet again.

As both teams approached the five minute mark, a pair of Daniel Foster free throws brought the Wolf Pack back to within four. New Mexico would fail to capitalize on their next two possessions. Ultimately sending Kenan Blackshear to the line to tie things up at 71-71 with 4:43 left in the game. Nevada would take their first lead of the second-half shortly after, with Toppin sending Davidson to the line for two easy free throws.

A much needed Amzil three pointer gave New Mexico back their lead (74-73). Which was a part of a clutch performance off of the bench from the Finnish big man (12 points in 21 minutes), who went 3-6 from deep against Nevada.

There would be two more ties after that, at 75 & 77 a piece before a defensive blunder would nearly turn the tides.

A Jaelen House foul on Jarod Lucas beyond the arc sent the sharpshooter to the line for three easy ones. Giving Nevada the 80-77 lead with under two minutes to play. House would go on to miss a three pointer on the other end, but New Mexico would retain the ball.

In comes the Mountain West magic & after being subbed out only seconds prior, in comes Jamal Mashburn Junior. Draining a three pointer that would silence the crowd inside the Lawlor Events Center while tying the game at 80-80. Get ready for the tweets.

If that wasn’t enough to keep Mountain West spectators on the edge of their seat, Nevada would take the lead after another Davidson layup with just thirty seconds to go. No one called a timeout, as offensive maestro Donovan Dent was entrusted to put the ball on the hardwood & drove to the basket only to find one of his team’s best scorers ready for the ball.

A slight lapse in defensive coverage by the Wolf Pack left Mashburn Jr. briefly open in the upper corner. As the clutch shooting guard came under pressure, he fired.

With Mashburn Jr.’s clutch three pointer, he was subbed right back out for the larger Baker Junior. Tasked with preventing a shot that Lobo fans were all too familiar with, a Kenan Blackshear final possession game winner.

With that miss New Mexico earned the 83-82 road win, another quad 1 win & their first sweep over Nevada since the 2015-2016 season.

It was truly a night for scoring in Reno. With New Mexico receiving double-digit scoring from five different players, including Nelly Junior-Joseph’s fifth double-double of the season (11 points, 13 rebounds). While Nevada had four players in double figures, led by 19 point performances from Nick Davidson & Jarod Lucas.

Player Spotlights

Nevada F–Nick Davidson

Stat line: 19 points & 7 rebounds & 2 blocks on 8-15 (53.3%) shooting from the floor, including 3-3 (100%) from deep in 35 minutes on the floor

To choose just one Wolf to highlight after tonight’s edge of your seat game was difficult. I could have easily pointed to Lucas’s offensive efficiency or Blackshear’s ability to get to the free throw line all night while also dishing out 7 assists. But, I don’t think Nevada even comes close to taking New Mexico down to the wire if it wasn’t for Davidson’s play in the post.

Shooting above 53.5% against one of the more talented & lengthy frontcourts in the conference isn’t easy. And Davidson managed to do so with consistency while also challenging for boards & making some clutch free throws when needed.

Playing at maybe Nevada’s shallowest position on the depth chart, the sophomore is vital to their success.

New Mexico G-Jamal Mashburn Jr.

Stat line: 17 points on 4-7 (57.1%) from the floor, including 3-3 (100%) from deep & 6-6 (100%) from the line in just 23 minutes on the floor

Mashburn Jr. definitely deserves his flowers for Tuesday night’s performance in Reno. He was quiet but efficient for most of the game, only logging 23 total minutes on the floor.

As Coach Pitino continuously subbed him in & out, in favor of size to try in order to find their defensive edge. That didn’t shake the mental toughness of this senior guard.

He returned to the floor time & time again to contribute in a highly efficient way. Ending the night shooting 100% from both the free throw line & from deep range. That deep range performance was vital to New Mexico’s win. As they’ve struggled with effective three point shooting all season.

If you would have asked me Tuesday morning if the Lobos would win tonight’s game off of back-to-back three pointers, I would have offered you a coffee to sober up. But big players show up in big moments, and no Lobo stands taller tonight than Jamal Mashburn Junior.

Three Takeaways:

  • After getting swept by UNLV last Saturday with that tough loss at home, New Mexico needed this win. Not only for their morale & momentum to finish out the season, but for their tournament resume. The sweep of Nevada this season is also significant, having not done so in nearly eight years. Not to mention beginning a two game winning streak against their former Head Coach. A second straight win this week in San Diego could be the momentum this team needs heading into a brutal second half of February.
  • Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been overshadowed this season. With the surge in production from sophomore Donovan Dent & the always crowd pleasing & energetic Jaelen House sharing the back court with him, minutes along with praise are sometimes scarce. His team high of 17 points to go along with those two clutch three pointers to win the game for his squad on the road are huge. His confidence & production along with others on this team like Amzil, Junior-Joseph, Washinton & Baker Jr. will be needed come tournament time & to finish strong the rest of the conference season.
  • Nevada played very well Tuesday night against New Mexico. Boasting a three game winning streak coming into this one, which includes back-to-back wins over Top-25 opponents in conference front runners Utah State & perennial powerhouse San Diego State just last week. Even after the loss, they made the correct adjustments throughout the game, which eventually led to them taking control in the closing minutes. The Wolf Pack appear primed & ready to compete for their spot in the Big Dance come March. I can’t wait to see this team thrive going forward, with a favorable stretch to overcome.

Next Up:

The Lobos only get three days off & stay on the road to hopefully finish their week 2-0. With a rare Friday night game against San Diego State on February 16th. New Mexico could secure two sweeps over two of their more problematic conference foes this year. It’s a tall task but remember, any team on any night.

The Lobos haven’t swept the Aztecs since 2017. Which happened to be Craig Neal’s last season in Albuquerque & it was still called Wise Pies Arena back then. That game tips off at 8:00 PM MT and can be seen on FS1.

While the Wolf Pack stay in Reno to host their southern in-state rivals, UNLV. The first game in the hardwood edition of the Battle for Nevada takes place on Saturday February 17th.

This rivalry may have seen some better days with UNLV’s inconsistency & NCAA Tournament drought over their last decade or so. Both programs are attempting to fight their way out of their mid-table positions.

But have proven their lethality to other team’s tournament hopes this season. That matchup tips off at 8:30 PM PT and can be seen on FS1.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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No. 25 New Mexico vs. Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More

New Mexico vs. Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More The Lobos head back home to put their winning momentum on the line. Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire No. 25 New Mexico heads home to host Steve Alford & his Nevada Wolf Pack …

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New Mexico vs. Nevada: Game Preview, How To Watch, Prediction & More

The Lobos head back home to put their winning momentum on the line.

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

No. 25 New Mexico heads home to host Steve Alford & his Nevada Wolf Pack in Super Sunday Showdown.

WHO: No. 25 New Mexico (17-3, 5-2 in the MWC) vs. Nevada (16-4, 3-3 in the MWC)

WHEN: Sunday, January 28th, 8:00 PM MT/7:00 PM PT

WHERE: University Arena aka “The Pit”, Albuquerque, NM

TELEVISION: FS1

STREAM:  FuboTV – Get a free trial

Line: KenPom ($), The Lobos are favored by 6 Points

A date circled on many Lobo fans calendars this time of year, the return of maybe their “winningest” Head Coach ever. A day that stirs up emotion among the New Mexico fan base, both good and bad. But another gameday to overcome nonetheless, regardless of who fills the opposing team’s bench.

Steve Alford left New Mexico for a dream job at one of college basketball’s blue chip gigs, UCLA. Fans understood why he left, but never truly forgave their former head coach. Lobo basketball since his departure has struggled to climb back to what is seen as their peak of the 21st century.

Because of that history, fans pack the pit when the other wolf team comes to town. Look no further than last season’s matchup, where 15,004 fans packed University Arena to witness one of the biggest buzzer beaters in Mountain West history. It was one of two Lobo losses last season resulting from a buzzer beater at home and one of two losses to the Wolf Pack last season.

In fact the last time a ranked Lobo team went up against Nevada was just a little over a year ago inside the Lawlor Events Center. The Wolf Pack added to the win column in Coach Alford’s record against his old employer. Which is perfectly intact at 8-0.

The Lobos will put their red hot momentum and top-25 ranking on the line Sunday night. As they prepare to host a team, like themselves, make opposing coaches hold their breath until the final buzzer sounds. New Mexico is coming home after a two-game road trip that resulted in convincing wins over Air Force & San Jose State.

Those are games the Lobos needed to win & couldn’t afford to lose, so give Richard Pitino and his group some credit for not fumbling those road wins. Maybe give more credit to their nationally renowned perimeter trio of Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn Jr. & Donovan Dent who have led this New Mexico team to potentially their first NCAA Tournament trip since current Nevada Assistant Coach Craig Neal took them to ten years ago.

It really has been a team effort for the Lobos this season. Certainly led by that trio of guards but supported by stellar transfers & impactful freshman. New Mexico has slowly become the team national media were giving attention to in the offseason.

While Nevada is coming off of a 77-64 win against No. 24 ranked Colorado State on Wednesday. A much needed win that ended a three game losing streak for the Wolf Pack. A team like their hosts, are looking for an NCAA Tournament birth come March.

They are led by former transfers and now longtime Wolves Kenan Blackshear & Jarod Lucas. A perimeter duo who are making their last run around the Mountain West before running out of eligibility.

The guys over at Heat Check CBB have Nevada as one of the First Four Out in their most recent Bracketology release while other outlets have them as a Last Four In selection.

The path both of these teams have taken to Sunday’s matchup appear similar. Great non-conference performances, some tough losses but some high value “upsets” in conference play.

As the lone Sunday game of the entire Mountain West Conference slate, there will be eyeballs aplenty available to watch this clash of wolves.

Players to Watch:

F JT Toppin–New Mexico

23-24 Stats: 13.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG & 1.2 SPG while shooting 66.3% from the floor in 25.0 MPG

Last time out: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 block on 5-11 (45%) shooting, including 4-5 (80%) from the line against San Jose State

If you haven’t gotten a chance to see a Lobo game this season, make time. New Mexico is a deep and talented team this year with leadership and true potential. With maybe JT Toppin having one of the more exciting freshman seasons since Kendall Williams well over a decade ago.

The 6-9 freshman four man is a site to see in the paint. Recently tying the record for most double-doubles by a freshman (7), previously held by Lobo legend & former NBA journeyman Kenny Thomas.

Toppin’s offensive game is primarily focused around the rim, with second chance layups & turnaround hook shots being his weapons of choice. Along with finishing in transition. While defensively he has active hands, which lead to opponent turnovers and those aforementioned dunks in transition. Big Lobo wins are usually accompanied by big Toppin nights, so they may need one from him in order to put away a team they haven’t beaten in a long time.

F Kenan Blackshear –Nevada

23-24 Stats: 16.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.9 APG while shooting 51.3% from the floor in 31.1 MPG

Last time out: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists on 9-12 (75%) shooting against Colorado State

Blackshear’s name will live in infamy inside the heads of Lobo fans after his buzzer beating mid-range jumper inside the Pit last season. The true definition of a dagger that deflated an entire arena filled with fifteen thousand people in an instant.

Blackshear’s game is tough to stop. A 6’6 combo guard who often towers over his opponents on the perimeter. He has a deadly inside game, a 1.8 assist to turnover ratio but virtually no outside game.

An element of his game that you think would make him easier to guard or at least point to where on the floor opponents should push him towards, but it doesn’t. I don’t see Nevada securing the win without a big night from Blackshear.

Keys to the Game

For New Mexico:  Force Turnovers, Get to the line & minimize fouls

The Lobos make their money in transition off of missed field goal attempts and more often turnovers. If you blink you’ll miss it, but New Mexico’s points off of turnovers are no joke. They’ll need plenty of those to avoid playing to one of Nevada’s strengths, which is getting to the line & knocking them down.

The Wolf Pack are ranked in the top-20 in the country in free throw attempts (14th) and makes (16th). The Lobos need to play smart and keep them off of the line Sunday night. A foul heavy night in Albuquerque could doom the Lobos. As that slows down the game and possibly takes away one of their own strengths/advantages.

By the same token, the Lobos need free throws of their own if three-point & mid-range jumpers aren’t falling, which they rarely do. It’s an odd mix but one New Mexico needs to find to secure the win.

For Nevada:  Get to the line, Control the tempo & Crowd the Paint

The Lobos make plenty of their money at the line, but the Wolf Pack does it better. If Nevada can slow down the tempo and take New Mexico’s elite transition offense out of the game while getting to the free throw line at the same time. I can’t see a better reason to use the phrase, two birds with one stone in college basketball more than that exactly.

The Wolf Pack don’t necessarily have a dominant big man down low like say a Jaedon Ledee or Great Osobor. In my opinion that’s an advantage, because they won’t be as cautious when it comes to foul trouble or relying on points from their frontcourt to secure the win.

Instead, they can use that frontcourt on the defensive side and make it difficult for New Mexico’s bigs to earn their living down low. They can do so by sending those bigs to the line, where as a whole, they shoot a poor 59.2% from the charity stripe.

Prediction: New Mexico 80, Nevada 74

The power of the Pit has treated the Lobos well all season (10-0). With their only three losses of the season coming on the road. KenPom has New Mexico as 6-point favorites, which feels accurate given the margin of victory the Lobos have dealt to their opponents as of late but not forgetting Nevada’s offensive abilities any given night.

Though at this point in the season, teams are playing for their tourney resumes and at-large bids. A win in Albuquerque over a ranked New Mexico team means a heck of a whole lot for Nevada. While a homestand win for the Lobos not only gives them their first win over Steve Alford, but a solid quad 2 win to add to their own resume.

I think the current form the Lobos are in combined with their homecourt advantage gives them the win. It could be close but I see New Mexico pulling out the win Sunday night.

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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Nevada vs. Wyoming: Game Preview, How to Watch, Central Players, Keys & Prediction

The Nevada Wolf Pack travels to the high plains of Wyoming to snap its six-game losing streak against the Wyoming Cowboys.

 

Nevada vs. Wyoming: Game Preview, How to Watch, Central Players, Keys & Prediction

The Wolf Pack travels to the high plains of Wyoming to snap its six-game losing streak against the Cowboys.

Contact/Follow @KayceeClark-Mellott and @MWCwire

WHO: Nevada (15-3, 2-2 in the MWC) vs. Wyoming (9-8, 2-2 in the MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 20, 5:30 PM MT

WHERE: Arena-Auditorium “Dome of Doom”, Laramie, Wyo.

TELEVISION: Mountain West Network

STREAM:  FuboTV – Get a free trial

LINE: Nevada +8.5

RANKINGS:

  Nevada Wyoming
AP RV (22) NR
USA TODAY COACHES POLL RV (14) NR
NET RANKINGS 45 204
KENPOM 47 214

The last victory for the Nevada Wolf Pack against the Wyoming Cowboys came in the 2020 COVID-19 season, Wyoming head coach Jeff Linder’s first season. Linder and the Pokes have won six straight from that season sweep of the Cowboys, including four games in Laramie.

Nevada’s season, thus far, is the best since the 2018-19 season, when they played in the NCAA Tournament as a seven-seed. The Wolf Pack is one of the best defensive teams in the Mountain West Conference (MWC), allowing the fewest points in the league. Coupled with three players scoring in double figures, Nevada has become one of the top teams in the conference. However, the team has lost two straight matchups against Boise State and San Diego State.

Both losses included some of Nevada’s worst shooting percentages of the season and the most fouls committed in a game against the Aztecs. The Wolf Pack allowed 41 rebounds in both games, the most in a season. Although both teams are in the top four in the conference for rebounding, Wyoming and Nevada are in the middle of the MWC.

The Cowboys have a season of many unknowns. They lost four starters from last season to graduation or the transfer portal. The only returning players for Wyoming are Brendan Wenzel, Caden Powell, Kenny Foster — who experienced a season-ending injury in the preseason — and Cort Roberson — who mainly works on the scout team.

As the team has already matched its win total from last year, the Cowboys are looking to reach double-digit wins with an upset over the Wolf Pack. Games at the “Dome of Doom” have favored Wyoming thus far this season, with a 6-1 record, including two conference victories, courtesy of Akuel Kot’s game-winning buzzer-beaters over San Jose State and Fresno State.

Turnovers have troubled the Pokes all season as the 20th most per game in the NCAA. Sam Griffin and Kot lead the team with 3.1 turnovers each per game. Only two games have seen the Cowboys commit less than 10 turnovers.

While Nevada looks to get back on track in conference play, Wyoming aims to achieve a winning record in the conference.

Key Players to the Game:

G Kenan Blackshear–Nevada

23-24 Stats: 16.3 PPG, 4.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG & 51.4% FG

Last time out: 14 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals on 6-12 (50%) shooting, including 2-5 from the line, at San Diego State.

Kenan Blackshear is an all-around player for the Wolf Pack. He leads the team in assists and steals and is second among starters in scoring, rebounds and shooting percentage. His four highest-scoring games have all come this season, with a career-high of 31 points at Washington in November. 

Both guards — Blackshear and Jarod Lucas — are prominent players for Nevada, but the stature of Blackshear may pose difficulties for Wyoming’s defense. His passing vision and abilities can help propel the Wolf Pack while drawing attention away from others.

F Caden Powell-Wyoming

23-24 Stats: 7.2 PPG, 1.0 APG, 5.9 RPG, 0.9 BPG & 50% FG

Last time out: 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a block on 0-2 shooting against Fresno State.

The obvious answer for the Pokes is leading scorer Griffin or Kot with the buzzer-beaters and scoring double digits in all but one game this season. However, Powell must be a dominant force on the glass. As Nevada has allowed over 40 rebounds in their last two games, it’s central for the Cowboys to continue that trend.

Powell also makes half the shots he puts up, and while playing the best scoring defense in the conference, throwing up the most efficient shots is vital. Since MWC play started, Powell has yet to post double figures, only averaging 4.8 points on 46.2%. A dominant big-man performance can send Wyoming into the driver’s seat of this game. 

Keys to the Game

For Nevada:  Control the glass. Improve shooting efficiency. Get back on defense.

The game plan must focus on rebounds after allowing over 40 rebounds in back-to-back games. The Wolf Pack has been outrebounded in half of its games this season. Additionally, the team’s rebound margin is even at zero, ranking 193 in the NCAA. The combination of Nick Davidson and Blackshear must be highly prominent in the paint, offensively and defensively. 

The Wolf Pack also must find efficient shots to take. Since MWC play started, the team’s field goal percentage has dropped 4.4 percentage points. Nevada shot 36% against Boise State. Additionally, the team has become less effective at the line, dropping nearly six percentage points in that same time. The goal is always to have more points than the opponent, and decreasing numbers is not a good sign for winning. 

Against San Diego State, Nevada gave up 15 fast break points. In MWC games, the average Nevada has allowed is 7.75, but it has only scored 7.83 on the season. It is pertinent to ensure that the Cowboys can’t get fast points against an unset defense, notably when Wyoming is ranked 19th lowest in fast break points.

For Wyoming: Get to the charity stripe. Box out and snag the rebounds. Beyond the arc action.

The Cowboys are one of the best from the line in the league. At 75.3%, Wyoming only trails Colorado State in free throw percentage. In addition, Nevada fouls the third most in the MWC, sending San Diego State to the line for 34 shots. Not a single player for Wyoming shoots under 50% from the line, with seven players shooting 80% or better.

Rebounding is a fundamental key to winning games. As a middle-tier rebounding team in the conference, Wyoming posts a 6-3 record when winning the rebound margin while 3-5 when opponents outrebound the Pokes.

Wyoming is one of the best from beyond the arc. Despite the low number of shots beyond the arc per game, the team shoots 38.6% from three and is ranked 16th in the NCAA. Wyoming has shot over 40% in eight games this season and won seven of them. Even when the team shoots above its average, it holds an 8-2 record while 1-6 when below. The magic number for the Pokes is 38.6%.

Prediction:

Nevada 68, Wyoming 60

Wyoming will cover the spread of +8.5 but ultimately come up short. While Nevada has not been able to grab a board the past two games, this came against the conference’s top teams. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they are neither a top team in the MWC nor prolific at grabbing boards. The Wolf Pack will also clean up some of their foul troubles and return to the win column. Nevada will halt the Pokes’ domination over them and move to 16-3.

Kaycee Clark-Mellott covers college football and basketball for the Mountain West Wire, mainly covering the Wyoming Cowboys.

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NCAA Tournament Round of 64: No. 11 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Nevada-First Look At The Sun Devils

NCAA Tournament Round of 64: No. 11 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Nevada-First Look At The Sun Devils Who are the Sun Devils? Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Nevada secures first four battle against Arizona State, with some familiar faces. It’s …

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NCAA Tournament Round of 64: No. 11 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Nevada-First Look At The Sun Devils

Who are the Sun Devils?

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Nevada secures first four battle against Arizona State, with some familiar faces.

It’s been established that the Mountain West Conference was an absolute battlefield to navigate this season. Established ahead of the ACC in both KenPom and the NET Rankings.

Steve Alford’s Nevada Wolf Pack, like many other teams in conference play this season survived with some tough losses. But while also securing top wins of their own against league leaders San Diego State, Boise State, Utah State and more.

As a bubble team in most projections heading into Selection Sunday. The Wolf Pack drew a Last Four In No. 11 vs. No. 11 matchup against a similar styled opponent. The Arizona State Sun Devils are led by former Wolf Pack members Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Warren Washington.

Who Are The Sun Devils

Coach

The Sun Devils are led by now 8th year head coach Bobby Hurley. The Duke Blue Devils legend is in his second head coaching stint after getting his feed wet at Buffalo in the MAC.

In his final season in Upstate New York, coach Hurley lead the Bulls to a regular season title, conference tournament title and a trip to the big dance. Since he’s been at the helm in Tempe, Arizona State has made back to back trips to the NCAA Tournament. In 2017-2018 & 2018-2019, while accumulating a record of 140-112 (55.6%).

Star Players

Gr. G-Desmond Cambridge Jr. (6-4, 180)

Stats: 13.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.2 APG & 1.8 SPG

Jr. G-DJ Horne (6-1, 175)

Stats: 12.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.4 APG & 1.2 SPG

Sr. F-Warren Washington (7-0, 215)

Stats: 9.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.5 APG & 1.7 BPG

How Did They Get Here

Like the aforementioned ACC, the Pac-12 experienced a bit of a decline nationally this past season. Outside of Arizona and UCLA, USC and Arizona State were not sure fire selections come Sunday.

Arizona State 22-12 (11-9, 5th in Pac-12) managed to secure a non-conference neutral site wins over a No. 20 ranked Michigan squad and a Creighton squad that ended the year 3rd in a very competitive Big East. Although the Sun Devils still struggled to fend off Pac-12 foes, they managed a road win over a top-10 Arizona Wildcats team as a part of an 8-4 record in their last twelve games.

All of this culminating to a bubble team sanction before Sunday. Even though they were a part of the field of 68, their Last Four In designation describes just how close of a call it was for coach Hurley’s squad this year.

Biggest Wins: 

Neutral Site-No. 20 Michigan 87-62

Neutral Site-Creighton 73-71

@-No. 7 Arizona 89-88

NET Ranking:  66th

KenPom:  68th

RPI:  56th

Larry Muniz covers college basketball as a writer for Mountain West Wire and WAC Hoops Digest. Also as a co-host of the college basketball podcast “Hoops Talk W/Jay & Larry”. He is also a USWBA Member.

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