Nevada's Kenan Blackshear is fouled by Boise State's Omar Stanley on a first-half dunk attempt. Blackshear finished with a team-high 15 points for the Wolf Pack.
Photo by Thomas Ranson.
Any road win is a good win in the Mountain West, so expect Boise State to be celebrating this one for a while.
The visiting Broncos came into Lawlor Events Center on Friday night looking for a big win to boost their conference-title and NCAA Tournament chances. They left with what is their best win through 16 games, outmuscling Nevada for a 64-56 win in front of 10,000-plus raucous Wolf Pack fans.
Behind 20 points from big man Tyler Degenhart, Boise State improved to 12-4 overall and 3-0 in MW games. Nevada’s first loss this season at Lawlor dropped the Pack to 15-2, 2-1.
Boise State got the better of what was a physical game. The Broncos won the rebounding battle by nearly 20 (43-24) and outscored Nevada in the paint (24-20).
The Wolf Pack was held to 18 made baskets, finishing 18-for-50 (36.0 percent) on a night where a number of shots ended up in-and-out. Nevada’s 56 points were 18 below its season average of 74.8.
Nevada was forced to play catch-up for most of the game, last leading at 25-22 with 2:38 left in the first half. That was followed by an 8-2 run by the Broncos that sent the teams into halftime with a 30-27 score.
Boise State went on to lead by as much as 10 in the second half.
KEY PLAY
After Nevada cut the Broncos’ lead to 55-53 with 1:46 left, Boise State’s Max Rice hit a heavily contested short-range shot to push the lead back to four. The Pack never got closer.
Rice followed up by grabbing the rebound off a Kenan Blackshear miss on Nevada’s next possession.
KEY NUMBERS
11-2: Boise State’s advantage in offensive rebounds.
25: Nevada’s shooting percentage from the 3-point line (3-for-12).
39: Fouls called (21 on the Broncos).
PACK PERFORMERS
• Kenan Blackshear led Nevada with 15 points, although he needed 16 shots to get there. He added three rebounds and three assists.
• Jarod Lucas finished with 14 points and four rebounds.
• Tre Coleman led the Pack with six rebounds. Coleman, Lucas and Blackshear all played a team-high 35 minutes.
AROUND THE MW
The Mountain West has a full slate of games scheduled for Saturday.
In the featured event, No. 19 San Diego State visits New Mexico in a game set for a national telecast on CBS (11 a.m.).
Elsewhere, No. 20 Utah State travels to UNLV (CBSSN); Fresno State plays at Wyoming; and San Jose State visits Air Force.
NEXT UP
Nevada returns to the road, traveling to San Diego State (14-2, 3-0) for a Wednesday game. The Wolf Pack has yet to win a game at Viejas Arena.
Boise State returns home for a Tuesday game against UNLV (8-6, 1-1).