Harris’ 30 points not enough in Nevada Basketball’s 73-64 loss to Boise State

Jalen Harris’ fourth 30-point performance was not enough in Nevada’s 73-64 loss versus Boise State.

After missing his first six shots, Harris still found a way to produce in the scoring column for the Pack. The junior guard tallied 30 points on 12-of-23 shooting. He has reached double figures in 19 consecutive games, averaging 21.4 points per game in that span.

Harris sports a conference-best 24 points per game in 11 games. He has scored 30 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his collegiate career.

The last Wolf Pack player with four 30-point games in a single season was Nick Fazekas in the 2005-06 season.

Saturday’s loss drops Nevada to 13-10 with a 6-5 conference record.

The Pack are now tied for fifth place with Utah State in the MW standings. Boise State is tied with Colorado State for second place at 7-4.

Boise State ended its eight-game losing streak versus Nevada. The Broncos have outscored their opponents by 19 points per game in the last four contests.

The Broncos improved their home win streak to 10 games, moving to 11-1 (.917) at home on the year. Nevada is 1-7 (.125) on the road this season.

Nevada shot 47.3 percent — 54.8 percent in the second half — and 25.9 percent from deep. The Wolf Pack entered Saturday as the best 3-point shooting team in the conference and the No. 8 nationally. Harris was Nevada’s only double-digit scorer.

The Wolf Pack were without senior guard Jazz Johnson, who missed his first game of the season due to right shoulder soreness. Johnson is Nevada’s second leading scorer at 16.3 points per game.

Nisré Zouzoua, who started for Johnson, tallied five points on 2-of-10 shooting.

Boise State — who entered Saturday making more free throws (368) than its opponents have attempted (353) — dominated from the stripe. The Broncos outscored Nevada 19-5 from the free throw line.

Boise State shot 42.3 percent and 34.5 percent from deep on the evening.

Derrick Alston Jr. — tied for the conference-lead in scoring (19.5 ppg) — led the Broncos with 24 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Justinian Jessup added 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

Jessup’s two 3-point makes tied Jimmer Fredette’s record for most 3-point baskets (296) in Mountain West Conference history.

Boise State capitalized on Nevada’s mistakes. The Broncos tallied 26 points off Nevada’s 16 turnovers. The Wolf Pack had just six points off Boise State’s 11 turnovers.

Robby Robinson’s layup put the Pack on the board after Boise State scored the first eight points of the contest. The Wolf Pack cut the lead to 11-6 after a pull up jump shot from Lindsey Drew.

The Broncos went on a 17-2 run, capped-off by a 3-pointer from Abu Kigab to give them a 28-8 lead with 6:29 remaining. Jalen Harris hit Nevada’s first 3-point basket at the 1:36 mark, cutting Boise State’s lead to 36-19.

Boise State did not record a basket in the final five minute of the first half — but walked into halftime with a 36-21 lead. Nevada’s 21 points marks the lowest first-half total this season.

Nevada shot 37.5 percent from the floor and made one 3-pointer on 10 attempts. Boise State shot 35.7 percent from the floor, hitting 6-of-19 from beyond the arc.

Harris had Nevada’s first six points to begin the second half, trimming the Broncos lead to 39-27. He scored 14 of Nevada’s first 22 points to begin the half, making six of his first seven shots.

Nevada went on a 18-7 run to cut Boise State’s lead to 48-45 with 10:57 remaining in the half. Boise State extended the lead back to double digits after back-to-back baskets from Alston.

Nevada did not go away, as Drew’s 3-pointer cut Boise State’s lead to 62-58. Jessup responded with a 3-pointer of his own extending the Broncos’ lead to 65-58 with 4:20 remaining.

Alston increased the lead to 70-58 with 3:40 remaining. The Pack cut the lead to six with under a minute remaining, but were unable to muster up a miracle in the final minute.

The Wolf Pack return home to take on the Air Force Falcons (9-13, 3-7) on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Lawlor Events Center. Tip off will be at 8 p.m. PST.