RENO - Nevada's eighth win of the young season, a 76-58 triumph over Saint Mary's College, may turn out to be a costly one.
Point guard Ramon Sessions, who entered the game averaging a career-best 13 points, suffered a thigh injury with 15:52 left when SMC's John Winston ran into him while the pair were going after a loose ball.
Sessions lay on the court for a couple of minutes, and eventually was helped off the floor. Trainer Shelly Germann applied ice immediately, and Sessions didn't return.
Nevada coach Mark Fox said in his post-game conference that he didn't know the severity of the injury.
It would be a huge blow if Sessions is out for an extended period. He suffered a hip flexor injury last season, and was never at 100 percent even though he played 31 of Nevada's 33 games.
IKOVLEV DELIVERS
Senior Denis Ikovlev, who is arguably the Pack's most improved player, had career highs in points (10) and rebounds (8).
Ikovlev went 3-for-4 from the field, including 2-for-2 on 3-point attempts. He also pulled down five offensive rebounds, and tied teammate Marcelus Kemp with eight rebounds.
"It was whatever," Ikovlev said. "I was just trying to hit open shots. I'm trying to take advantage of my playing time. I need to play hard and help this guy (Fazekas) out (on the boards)."
Fox was obviously pleased with the effort.
"He rebounded the ball well and shot the ball well," Fox said. "He's not getting a lot of shots. He waits for his opportunities."
MORE ON FAZEKAS
Nick Fazekas has one huge milestone left that is certainly reachable, and he's already accomplished the first two legs of it (2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds).
Fazekas has a chance to become the sixth player all-time to score 2,000 points, grab 1,000 rebounds, shoot 50 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the line. He would join Rick Barry, Larry Bird, Bill Bradley, Keith Van Horn and Christian Laettner in that group.
Entering Tuesday's game, Fazekas was shooting 52.5 from the field for his career and 80.7 from the line.
Joining that group would be a major accomplishment.
Fazekas did move into the No. 2 spot on the all-time rebounding list. His five rebounds gave him 1,018 for his career, two ahead of Edgar Jones.
OH NO, NOT AGAIN
Freshman Brandon Fields is still trying to throw down outrageous dunks. Earlier in the year, he pounded one off the back iron, prompting Fox to remark that a "lay-up counts the same as a dunk."
Against Saint Mary's, Fields started from about 10 feet out and tried to ram one through again. Same result. The ball bounced high off the back of the rim.
UP NEXT
The UOP Tigers, who knocked off Nevada on their last visit to Lawlor during the 2004-05 season come to town Saturday night.
The Tigers dropped to 3-7 after losing 67-60 to Saint Louis Monday night.
"Pacific has been arguably just as good as us the last couple of years," Fox said. "They have some new faces. They have a great program and they are well coached."
NOTABLES
Tyrone Hanson scored his first career points for the Pack, sinking a little baseline jump shot with 1:38 left in the contest ... Nevada has won 22 of its last 24 games dating back to Jan. 6, 2006 with a 82-79 win over Boise State ... Nevada is 49-6 at Lawlor since the 2003-04 season and has won more than 73 percent of its games since Lawlor opened for the 1983-84 season ... SMC still holds a 50-33 edge in the series all-time... SMC travels to face UConn in a Sunday game. It will be the Gaels' second trip back East in two-plus weeks. They visited Seton Hall on Dec. 2.
•Contact DarrellMoody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1281