Nevada vs. Long Beach State recap: Wolf Pack can't over come first half deficit

Nevada had as bad an offensive performance as they had so far this season which is interesting given this team's noted struggles on offense early in this season.Yet, Nevada shot 19% from the field on 4-21 shooting and committed ten turnovers as Long Beach State closed the first half on a 14-2 scoring run to lead 31-22 and the deficit could have been worse had it not been for Nevada making 14 of their 17 free throws in the first half.

In the second half, Nevada shot the better (as if they could shoot the ball any worse) as they shot 41% from the field and  was able to cut down the Niners double digit lead, but it was too much of a hole to climb out of as the Wolf Pack dropped their fifth straight game to the Long Beach State 49ers, 68-57. 

The Wolf Pack could not protect the ball as they turned the ball over a total 19 times and did a poor job securing the ball as Niners players were able to either knock the ball out of Wolf Pack players in the paint or strip the ball. Long Beach State were able to convert those turnovers into points as they scored 18 points off of those 19 turnovers committed by the Wolf Pack. The Niners also outscored the Wolf Pack in points scored in the paint by a margin of 26-14 as the Wolf Pack missed several open shots in the painted area.

As the Wolf Pack were down by three, DJ Fenner, who scored 17 points, made a jumper to cut the Niners lead to one at 41-40 and that would be as close as the Wolf Pack came to either tie or take over the lead because on the next Long Beach possession, Wolf Pack Lucas Stivrins fouled Niners guard Mike Caffery and Caffery went to the free throw line and made both free throws extending the lead to 43-40 and Branford Jones three  increased the lead to 46-40 and the Niners extended the lead through the rest of the game.

Marqueze Coleman was the Wolf Pack's second leading scorer with 15 points while guard Michael Perez chipped in with ten points and AJ West, despite being held out of practice with a heel injury, scored nine points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

Mike Caffery scored 17 points for the Niners while guard Tyler Lamb scored 14 points and went 3-5 from three point line and forward Temidayo Yussef grabbed a double double scoring 11 points and ten rebounds.

The Wolf Pack return home for the first time since November 17th as they welcome the California Golden Bears on Sunday. The tip off is at 1pm P.T at the Lawlor Events Center.