Four-Straight: Nevada crushes UNLV for 20th win

The 8th-ranked Nevada Wolf Pack improved to 20-1 on the season in a 87-70 thrashing over the UNLV Rebels Tuesday night. Nevada has now eclipsed the 20-win mark in four-straight seasons under Eric Musselman and have tied their fastest season to 20 wins as well.

THE RUNDOWN:

OFFENSE:

• The Pack shot 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three-point line (9-22). Four players scored in double-figures and Nevada added 19 points off the bench. Cody Martin finished with a solid line of 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He leads the Mountain West in assists per game (5.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9).
• Red-Hot Caleb Martin: Caleb Martin scored a game-high 26 points in efficient fashion, shooting 7-12 from the field and 4-7 from behind the arc, 12 of which came in the first half. He also eclipsed 1,000 career points in the process. Martin’s range was on full display, showcasing a quick pump-fake to avoid the defender and side-stepping into a more comfortable shot from three.

Although Martin’s jumper was cooking from the outside, he also put the ball on the floor and dished to open teammates in the paint, including this smooth delivery to Tre’Shawn Thurman for the and-1 layup.

• Jordan Caroline, Another Double-Double: Per usual, Jordan Caroline was his dominant self with 18 points and 10 rebounds. He has 11 double-doubles this season and has scored in double-figures in every game this season. Caroline has showcased the tools that may pay dividends towards his draft stock come June, but That doesn’t stop him from throwing down highlight-reel dunks on the opposition.

Points at the Line: Nevada nailed 88 percent of their attempts at the free throw line (28-32) to put their in-state rivals down 22 points in the early stages of the first half. Jazz Johnson and freshman Jordan Brown were contributing factors to the total with four free throws apiece.

DEFENSE:

The Pack held UNLV to 37 percent from the field and 27 percent from three-point territory (7-26). Two players scored in double-figures including Kris Clyburn, who scored a team-high 23 points. Amauri Hardy added 17 points on 5-12 shooting.

Turnover Battle: Nevada won the turnover battle 14-11 which fueled countless scoring opportunities in the open court. The Pack recorded five blocks and six steals on the night to keep the Rebels out of their rhythm.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

After a gut-wrenching loss to the Rebels at home last season, it’s great to see the Pack get some revenge on its in-state rivals at the Thomas & Mack Center. Nevada has been flowing offensively and have kept a defensive mindset on the other end and they’re starting to prove their top-10 status in the nation.

NEXT UP:

Nevada hosts the Boise State Broncos Saturday Feb. 2 at Lawlor Events Center. The Broncos are 10-11 overall and 5-3 in conference play but pushed the Pack to the brink during their last meeting, which ended in a Cody Martin game-winner.