Nevada used a 20-2 first-half run en route to a 93-63 win over Santa Clara on Wednesday night at Leavey Center in Santa Clara, Calif.
The road win upped Nevada’s record to 3-0. The Pack closes out the two-game road swing Saturday at Pacific at 7 p.m. It is Nevada’s first 3-0 start under coach Eric Musselman.
Cody Martin led Nevada with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Jordan Caroline added 21, Hallice Cook added 12 on 4-for-4 shooting from 3-point range, and Lindsey Drew added 11.
“It (the game) unfolded the right way,” said Johnny Jones, associate head coach, on the post-game radio show. “Coach Musselman did a tremendous job preparing (the team).
“Great thing about Jordan is he’s doing what’s best to team. He’s a warrior, a physical player. He did a great job tonight.”
Nevada shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, sinking 15 long-range shots, one shy of the school record. Overall, Nevada shot 54.5.
Nevada shot 55 percent from the floor, including 9-for-17 from beyond the arc, to take a 50-26 at the intermission.
The Pack had used an 8-1 run to snap an 11-all tie and take a 19-11 lead. Josh Hall started the surge with a jump shot following a Cody Martin miss. After Santa Clara scored from the line, Cooke and Caleb Martin banged in back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 19-12.
The run started with 4:43 left on a 3-pointer by Cody Martin, and after Santa Clara misfired at the line, Cooke dropped in another 3-pointer to make it 36-21. After K.J. Feagin missed, Caroline, who scored 14 first-half points, dropped in a 3-pointer for a 39-21 lead. Cody Martin made it an 11-0 run with a lay-up, and Hall dropped in a free throw to make it 42-21.
Jarvis Pugh scored for the Broncos, but a putback by Caroline and treys from Cooke and Lindsey Drew made it a 24-point bulge after the first 20 minutes.
Santa Clara used a 12-2 run in the second half to cut the Nevada lead to 65-51 with 10 minutes left. The Pack re-established control with a 11-2 run, extending its lead to 76-53. Cody Martin had six points in the surge and Caroline had the other five.
Nevada closed out the game with a 17-6 run, as Santa Clara managed just two points over the final 2-minutes 52-seconds.
NOTES: Kendall Stephens snapped out of his 3-point drought, nailing three 3-pointers en route to a 9-point effort ... Nevada got a combined 10 points from Elijah Foster and Darien Williams which was their best combined effort of the season ... The Pack held Santa Clara to 39 percent shooting for the game.