Pack, Louisiana Tech to battle for WAC leadership

RENO - In the past couple of weeks, Nevada has put together a five-game winning streak, played some of its best basketball of the season and moved into a tie for first place in the Western Athletic Conference.

Sole possession of first place is on the line tonight at 9:05 when Nevada (8-3 in the WAC, 18-5 overall) hosts Louisiana Tech (8-3, 15-9) at Lawlor Events Center. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Nevada has averaged 79 points a game, outscoring its opponents by 13 points a game, en route to wins over Boise State, Louisiana Tech, Hawai'i and New Mexico State (twice). The Pack has improved its shooting in that span, knocking down nearly 50 percent of its field goal attempts, and Nevada is winning the rebound battle by nearly five boards a game.

Junior forward Nick Fazekas is averaging 25.4 in that span, sophomore swingman Marcelus Kemp 15.5, junior guard Kyle Shiloh 11.0 and junior center Demarshay Johnson 10.4.

Johnson is shooting 71 percent, nearly all of his scores in the paint; Fazekas is shooting 56 percent and Shiloh knocked down 56 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

Defensively, Nevada has given up 66 points a game in that span, including only 53 against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 2, 55 against Hawai'i and 63 in the second win over New Mexico State last Thursday.

Nevada coach Mark Fox is striving for more consistent defense as the team enters the stretch run.

"We're just trying to get every win we can; one at a time," Fox said. "I don't know how many we've won in a row. We're just worried about getting the next one."

Nevada knocked off Louisiana Tech 65-53 in Ruston, La. back on February 2, but Fox said that doesn't give his team a psychological advantage.

"It doesn't feel like the same situation as New Mexico State," Fox said, referring to the fact that Nevada played the Aggies in back-to-back games five days apart.

"We didn't play very well (against Louisiana Tech). We played better at the end. We have to try to do a better job against (Paul) Millsap. He still had a double-double."

Millsap, who leads the nation in rebounding at 12.6 a game, is averaging 20.7 per contest. He only had 16 points and 11 rebounds against the Pack the first time, and some of that credit goes to reserve center Chad Bell, who gave Nevada 20 good minutes that night.

Bell is stronger physically than both Johnson and Fazekas, so one would expect him to be on Millsap often.

Though Millsap is an improved outside shooter, he is most dangerous posting up on the low block and on the offensive glass.

"Millsap is a tremendous player," Fox said. "He could start for any team in America, and be all-league in any league.

"You can't defend rebounds. If we can hold him under 10 rebounds, we should get a medal. He is terrific."

If the first game is any indication of how the Bulldogs will play Nevada, expect to see Millsap on Fazekas quite often. The Bulldogs collapsed on Fazekas repeatedly in the first half, but the clever Pack star still finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Seventeen of those points came in the final 20 minutes after Fazekas endured a 2-for-8 performance in the first half.

The outcome of tonight's game could hinge more on Nevada's perimeter players. Fazekas and Millsap will undoubtedly cancel each other out. The Pack needs continued strong play from Kemp, Shiloh, Ramon Sessions and Mo Charlo, who reached double figures for the first time in three games last Thursday.

Sessions has been impressive in recent games. His 11 assists against New Mexico State was a season best and tied his career high. The timing of seeing an open teammate and being able to deliver a great pass is back 100 percent, and his shooting his starting to come around.

NOTES: Fox gave the Pack Friday off and practiced later on Saturday and last night to get them acclimated to the late starting time... There was a three-way tie for first going into the week, but New Mexico State edged Utah State in Logan on Saturday, knocking USU to 7-4, a game behind the Bulldogs and Pack ... Nevada hosts the Akron Zips Saturday in the eBay Bracket Buster at 6 p.m. The Zips are one of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference ... Nevada's away game at Idaho on Feb. 20 has been changed for the second time. The game will now start at 1 p.m.

n Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281.