LAS VEGAS — The University of San Francisco Dons are still searching for their first victory away from home, and coach Kyle Smith knows it will be difficult today against the red-hot Nevada Wolf Pack.
“I’ve seen a little bit of film on them,” Smith said after the Dons lost to Duquesne on Friday at the Continental Tires Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena. “I saw a little but of the Santa Clara game.
“They have basketball players. They are long and athletic. (Jordan) Caroline is an animal. He is ferocious on the glass. They are a really good basketball team. They can shoot the ball.”
Smith was nowhere to be seen after Nevada piled up 46 first-half points.
No doubt the USF coach was plotting some strategy.
It is a safe bet that USF won’t want to get into a running war with the Pack.
The Dons will have a little height advantage with 6-11 Erik Poulson, 6-9 Taavi Jurkatamm, 6-9 Matt McCarthy and 6-7 Nate Renfro.
Musselman said the three-hour difference in game times on Friday between Nevada and USF (which tipped off at 5:30 p.m.) is huge in a situation like this.
Turnarounds like this will help Nevada when it comes time for the Mountain West Conference tournament in March in Las Vegas.
REVENGE FOR CAROLINE
It was a big night for Jordan Caroline, who scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds against his former team.
Caroline spent his freshman season with SIU before transferring to Nevada.
“Big win for me personally,” Caroline said.
“Little bit more, a personal one.”
Caroline admitted that there was a little talking going on.
“I saw some of my old boys,” he said.
“There was a lot of talking, but it was all good.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Nevada won the rebound battle 41-23, leading to 13 second-chance points … Nevada had 16 assists on 32 baskets … Cody Martin filled up the stat sheet with seven assists and nine rebounds … Nevada has won its last three games since back-to-back losses by a combined 52 points or an average of 17 a game … Crowd favorite Charlie Tooley played two minutes and drained a 3-point shot.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Wolf Pack dropped a 105-84 decision the last time it played at Orleans Arena … Entering Friday’s game, Nevada’s RPI according to the NCAA was 16 with a strength of schedule of 43. The ESPN BPI is 22 while its kenpom.com ranking is 32 … In Joe Lunardi’s ESPN Bracketology which was updated Dec. 21, the Pack is in an 8-9 game against Baylor in Charlotte. Boise State is also mentioned as a possible No. 11 seed playing in Wichita … Ten of Nevada’s first 11 wins have been by double digits.