LAS CRUCES, N.M. - If Nevada is playing a post-season game, you can bet the Adams family will be in the stands.
Adams, who lives in Washoe Valley and has had season tickets for the past 18 years, was among the 600 Nevada Faithful who watched 10th-ranked Nevada demolish Idaho 88-56 in the WAC quarterfinals Thursday at the Pan American Center.
Adams has been a season-ticketholder ever since he started dating his late wife, Lisa. He had his son, Jimmy, and daughter, Riley, in tow.
It's the way the family has spent vacation time the last four years. The family has attended the last four WAC tournaments and three NCAA Tournaments.
"It's nice (to go)," the elder Adams said. "You can take the kids and there is no smoking. They are fun to watch. They are very unselfish."
And Adams' son, Jimmy loved it in the first half when the Wolf Pack opened up it's 25-point lead, 49-24.
"They played great," Jimmy said. "The freshmen looked good and the shots were falling. They had a couple of good runs."
Riley, 10, said that she likes the game because they are exciting, and she likes to watch Nick Fazekas.
Back in Carson City, another season-ticketholder was lamenting the fact that he couldn't make it to New Mexico. But Tom Benedict said he was content to watch the game with his daughter Jennifer, a 2003 UNR graduate, at Stew's Sportatorium on Thursday afternoon.
"I am going to Mexico on Saturday, but I wanted to cancel. I told my wife that Mexico will always be there, but the Wolf Pack may not play in the NCAA tournament," Benedict said. "She told me I could stay home, but she'd find someone else to go."
Down the street at Mo and Sluggo's, Pat Moore called ahead to make sure the game was on when he got there for lunch.
"I grew up in Carson City so I've watched them play for the last 40 years, and they are going to the Final Four this year," Moore said between bites of his hamburger. "I'd consider going to watch them in the (NCAA) tournament depending on the location."
Tynan Kelly and Craig Bohn, both Nevada students, had front-row seats in New Mexico for the blowout.
Kelly, who was with three other Nevada students, had a sign calling New Mexico State's Tyrone Nelson "Robber of the Year." Nelson was arrested in the fall for allegedly robbing a pizza delivery person.
"I haven't missed a (home) game in a couple of years," Kelly said. "If it's a big travel game, I'll go. I travel to tournaments. I'm going to go (to the NCAAs) if it's nearby. I'm here because I hate New Mexico State.
"(The team) has grown a lot over the past four years. Each year the team had a different strength. This is the most well-rounded. They play solid defense and shoot a high percentage."
Bohn said that expectations for the Nevada team are real high around campus.
"Most people are expecting nothing less than the Sweet 16. Many of the students think that Nevada is a lot better than people think.
"When we see a No. 5 seed, we see it as disrespect. I know a lot of the writers have never seen a Nevada game. A lot of people think that we're going to surprise at the tournament."
Game time
The Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team plays Utah State tonight at 5 p.m. at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M. The game is being broadcast on KAME, MY21 or Charter Cable channel 7.
The Pack women's team plays New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m. and a subscription to all their tournament games can be purchased online at www.wac.tv.