RENO - The transition from junior college and high school basketball is full of ups and downs, not to mention potholes.
Nevada's Mo Charlo learned that a year ago, and teammate Demarshay Johnson has found that out this season.
After an up and down performance for much of the season, things are looking better for Johnson, who scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds to help Nevada grab an 85-63 Western Athletic Conference victory over New Mexico State Thursday night at Lawlor Events Center.
It was Johnson's second straight double-digit game against the Aggies. Last Saturday in Las Cruces, he scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 90-81 game.
"I'm doing what I like," Johnson said. "I had a good night. I had the opportunity to hit some easy baskets. I took the opportunities as they came and played my game."
Indeed. Only one of Johnson's baskets came from outside 5 feet, and he had at least three slam dunks.
New Mexico State didn't have anybody to match Johnson defensively, especially when 6-foot-5 David Fisher got into foul trouble for the second straight game.
"Demarshay played well," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "He let the game come to him.
"In defense of New Mexico, they aren't that big. We have two big guys that can finish. It's a match-up problem for them."
Johnson believes he has made the jump successfully, yet he said he is constantly striving to learn new things and get better.
"The speed of the game is the biggest adjustment," Fox said. "The game is so much faster than at junior college or high school. That and the physical play makes it more difficult."
A DIME ANYBODY?
Ramon Sessions didn't score a point, but dished out a season-best 11 assists, dimes if you will, and made only one turnover in 33 minutes.
His continued good play could go a long way in determining Nevada's fate down the stretch.
"He played well as lead guard," Fox said. "That's what a lead guard does. He got everybody involved. He's starting to regain his form. He's been shooting well in practice. He didn't have to do that (score) tonight.
"The only turnover led to a basket (to end the half)."
Fox said Sessions was upset at himself at halftime, and right then Fox knew he would have a big second half. The final 20 minutes included seven assists, including a couple of long passes to Nick Fazekas for easy baskets.
SIDESTEPPING THE QUESTION
Reggie Theus, New Mexico State's first-year head coach, was asked if Nevada was the team to beat down the stretch.
"They are very different teams," Theus said. "They (Nevada) are a lot more athletic than Utah State, but Utah State shoots as well as any college team I've seen; almost as good as my 1977 UNLV team. Louisiana Tech is very athletic. They all create different problems."
Talk about saying a lot and not saying anything that we didn't know already. Theus is catching on to this coach-speak stuff quickly.
FACTS & FIGURES
Marcelus Kemp had a career-best five steals ... The 56.9 effort from the field was a season-best for Nevada, eclipsing the old mark of 56.4 set five days ago against the same Aggies ... Fazekas scored in double digits for the 22nd time in 23 games this season. He has 15 20-point games this year and 39 in his career. A scout from the Indiana Pacers was in attendance, and he told reporters that Fazekas is a sure-fire first-round draft pick ... Nevada is 5-1 when holding opponents under 70 points and 5-1 when scoring more than 80 points ... Nevada is 9-1 at home this season, the only loss coming to Utah State ...The starting five of Fazekas, Kyle Shiloh, Sessions, Johnson and Kemp is a perfect 5-0.