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When: Saturday November 15th, 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET
Where: Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nevada
Series Match Up: Nevada leads 6-5
The Nevada Wolf Pack start the 2014-15 at home when they face the Cal Poly Mustangs of the Big West Conference. The Mustangs had a 14-20 overall record last year (6-10 in the Big West) and won the automatic bid in the Big West Tournament last year and earned a bid in the NCAA Tournament despite the losing record. After winning the first tournament game against Texas State, the Mustangs fell to Wichita State in the Second Round. This is a rematch of last year's contest between the two schools in which the Wolf Pack won 60-58.
The Mustangs last year were top five in fewest turnovers giving it up only eight times a game last year and a very tough defensive unit only giving up an average of 63 points per game and kept teams under 60 points in 11 games last year. the team's leading scorer is junior wing player David Nwaba finished second in scoring last year with 11 points and four rebounds to go with 21 blocks. Nwaba was also named on the All-Big West Tournament Team last year.
Joining him are seniors Maliik Love and junior center Joel Awich, who had 31 blocks last year ranking him sixth among Big West players. The Mustangs look to lean on their depth in the backcourt with junior Reese Morgan and and sophomore Ridge Shipley will join Love in the backcourt. Morgan had his biggest moment when he hit three three pointers in the victory over Texas State in the NCAA tourney and Shipley hit the game winning shot to beat Cal State Northridge in the Big West Tournament Title game.
The Wolf Pack, fresh off their exhibition game victory over NAIA Cal State San Marcos on November 8th by a score of 72-62 are looking to finding consistent scoring in the wake of the graduations of Deonte Burton, Jerry Evans Jr. and Cole Huff. Marqueze Coleman did chip in with 28 points but the team struggled against Cal State and needed Coleman's twelve points in the last five minutes to seal the victory.
The Wolf Pack will have to rely on defense and rebounding while the offense catches up and the Wolf Pack will need to hope Coleman can provide the offensive spark against a very tough Mustang defense and if they are able to score consistently then they can repeat the outcome the last time these two teams played.