Nevada hoops rolls past La. Tech

RENO - Coaches around the Western Athletic Conference have raved at various times about Nevada's offensive execution, especially its ability to get the ball inside.

And, the conference-leading Wolf Pack put on a clinic on scoring in the paint in its easy 76-58 win over Louisiana Tech Saturday night before a crowd of 9,188 fans at Lawlor Events Center.

The win snapped Louisiana Tech's (11-9, 6-5) conference-best five-game winning streak. Nevada is now 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the WAC, and leads UTEP (8-3, 18-4), which it visits Saturday, by a game.

Nevada scored 42 points in the paint, as Nick Fazekas (27 points, 7 rebounds), Kevinn Pinkney (10 points, 9 rebounds), Jermaine Washington (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Mo Charlo (14 points) consistently finished plays. Nevada shot 50.9 for the game, its second straight game eclipsing the 50 percent mark.

"We executed extremely well," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "There were certain things we wanted to do, and we executed like we practiced. We anticipated they would use some zone. There were certain things we were looking for. We're slowly starting to put it together."

Nevada certainly impressed Louisiana coach Keith Richard.

"They played better offensively, defensively and rebounded better than us," Richard said. "Make no mistake about it, they played real well. Everything went their way and they are the class of the league. Nick Fazekas was tremendous. They got to the rim and beat us in every phase of the game.

"The one thing I'm disappointed in is that the game got away from us. We didn't play well offensively. We had made such progress. We didn't play with poise or patience. That's how it got away from us so fast."

Nevada scored 13 of the game's first 15 points and enjoyed a 28-11 lead midway through the opening half. It was the second straight game that Nevada had built a double-digit lead early. The Wolf Pack led by 14 against SMU on Thursday.

It was more of an up tempo start for the Wolf Pack, who hit their first five shots of the game. Fazekas had 11, Pinkney contributed six and Charlo also scored six, including a nice trey from the left corner.

"The coaches have been harping about coming out and playing well," said Fazekas, who went 11 for 17 from the floor. "We seem to get out fast on the road. The last two games we've come right out of the chute. Once we got the ball we went. We have the ability to play that way."

Fox looked at it in a different light.

"Sometimes bad offense can lead to bad defense," he said, referring to Tech's poor shooting (29.4 in the first half). "We got some layups."

The Bulldogs did cut the lead to 30-24 with 6:14 left thanks to a 13-2 run. Paul Millsap, who led Tech with 20 points and eight rebounds, got seven in that run. It was really the only time he was a factor in the game thanks to the defense of Pinkney and Chad Bell.

"He's one of the best in the WAC," Pinkney said. "I tried to get real physical; get right up on him. When you do that, he shies away. I actually think I did a little better the last time against him (13 points, 9 rebounds for Millsap). I had a lot of help."

Fox felt the key with Millsap is that Pinkney and Bell kept him off the boards. Only one of his eight rebounds came at the offensive end, and that's where he hurts opposing teams.

Nevada answered with its own 11-4 run to close the half with a 41-28 lead. Fazekas had a trey over Millsap and a layup. Washington also drained a nice pull-up jump shot.

"I missed one wide open one," Fazekas said. "Other than that, everything was falling. I shot the ball well tonight."

Save for a small 6-0 run by the Wolf Pack, the teams traded baskets for much of the first eight minutes of the second half.

Nevada went on an 8-0 tear to build its lead to 64-44 with 7:38 left in the contest. It was a series of impressive possessions. Pinkney scored on a putback, Charlo scored on an eye-opening reverse layup and Fazekas scored on a layup in transition. Bell and Kyle Shiloh each knocked down a free throw to complete the run.

Tech ended its 4-plus-minute drought when Michael Wilds scored to make it 66-48. The Bulldogs didn't get any closer the rest of the way. Nevada's biggest led of the game was 21, and that happened twice. The first time came when Ramon Sessions' partially blocked shot went in. The second time was when David Ellis knocked down two free throws. Sessions had a nice floor game, dishing out nine assists and collecting three steals.

Nevada has won 12 of its last 14, but everybody in the Wolf Pack camp knows there is a long ways to go, especially with so many road games left.

"We have to keep scratching and clawing, and trying to get wins," Fox said when asked to assess where Nevada stands.

Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com ] or by calling 881-1281.