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Joe Santoro

Stories by Joe

Santoro: Spring practice more like spring cleaning for Pack

Nevada football roster thins out after portal entries — and basketball, too.

Santoro: There’s rebuilds — and then there’s the 2024 Wolf Pack

Jeff Choate has been handed the keys, but the car was left up on blocks and the engine has gone missing.

Santoro: A’s move to Sacramento should raise alarms in Vegas

If you think the Athletics' supposed move to Las Vegas is a done deal — well, think again.

Santoro: Preach ‘grit’ all you want, but Pack must find a QB

Former coach Ken Wilson never found one — and he's back to coaching linebackers.

Santoro: Welcome, again, to Pack’s Coaching Transfer Portal

Nevada has a long history of losing coaches to bigger programs — will that continue with Steve Alford?

Grades: Pack lets a big one get away

Nevada's experienced roster ends the season with a seven-minute collapse in NCAA Tournament.

Santoro: Pack has path to repeat its magic from No. 10 spot

Nevada was handed a first-round opponent (Dayton) it can certainly beat in a location (Salt Lake City) it certainly knows well.

Grades: Pack gets outplayed and exits MW Tournament

Nevada looks flat in quarterfinals loss to Colorado State; next up: Selection Sunday.

Santoro: Pack carved out historic season the old-fashioned way

After losing two stars, Nevada looked to its own roster instead of throwing money at the NIL machine.

MW rankings: Pack finishes season in No. 1 spot

Nevada Appeal rankings: Nevada gets the decision over Utah State, which did not have to play in Reno.

Grades: Pack rolling into March Madness

Grading the Nevada Wolf Pack’s 75-65 men’s basketball victory over the UNLV Rebels at Lawlor Events Center on Saturday . . .

Grades: Pack picks up memorable road win

Nevada still in mix for Mountain West title after McIntosh, defense save the day at Boise State.

Santoro: No need to wait — Pack’s March madness starts now

Nevada ends season with two tough games, then the Mountain West Tournament, and — if all goes well — the NCAA Tournament.

MW rankings: No. 3 Nevada ‘set up for March’

Wolf Pack appears to be peaking at the right time as conference title race comes down to final week.

Grades: Nobody in MW playing better than Pack

Grading the Nevada Wolf Pack’s 74-66 men’s basketball victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs at Lawlor Events Center on Friday . . .

Pack grades: Great teams win in tough environments

Jarod Lucas' long-range shot saves the day, giving Nevada a gutsy road win with only eight players.

Santoro: Pack can hit the wall again — or break through it

The Wolf Pack has often stumbled at this point of the basketball season, but this could be a special team.

Rankings: No. 3 Pack wins twice to stay in MW race

Aggies on top of rankings as season enters home stretch.

Grades: Pack shows the makings of a remarkable March

Grading the Wolf Pack’s 84-63 men’s basketball victory at San Jose State on Friday.

Grades: Pack gets its revenge against overmatched Wyoming

Nevada never in trouble against Cowboys; Lucas passes 2,000-point mark.

Santoro: Pack, MW foes have three weeks to determine a title

Nevada one of eight teams with a shot at conference's regular-season title — or at least a tie for first.

Two big wins push SDSU to top spot; Pack third

Aztecs knock off Colorado State, New Mexico to take over No. 1 spot in Nevada Appeal rankings.

Grades: Pack’s title hopes could be gone following one-point loss

Nevada falls to 6-5 in MW games as defense makes it too easy for New Mexico.

Santoro: Super Bowl has become a 49ers’ nightmare

A perfect 5-0 record in the big game has been followed by three straight losses.

MW rankings: Pack back on top following two big wins

Nevada improves to 19-5 after turning back Utah State, San Diego State.

Grades: Inconsistent Pack wins street fight against Aztecs

Grading the Wolf Pack’s 70-66 overtime victory against San Diego State on Friday.

Grades: Pack at its best in tough road win at USU

Behind Nick Davidson, Nevada gets a signature win — and gets back into the MW title race.

Santoro: Purdy’s Super Bowl journey could have been Carson Strong’s

The difference between former Pack QB and current 49ers star? Healthy knees.

MW rankings: Pack returns to winning ways; Lobos still No. 1

SDSU, Utah State, Boise State round out the top half of Appeal's weekly list.

Grades: Pack returns to its winning ways against Spartans

Grading the Wolf Pack’s 90-60 victory over San Jose State at Lawlor Events Center on Friday.

Santoro: Pack has 12 games to prove itself worthy

Three weeks ago, we didn’t think we’d have to worry about such frightening things as proving NCAA Tournament worthiness.

MW rankings: Wyoming up to sixth after miracle win; Lobos still lead

Wolf Pack fifth after splitting two conference games.

Grades: Pack not up the challenge of The Pit

Nevada blown off the floor to drop to 16-5 and 3-4 in MW games.

Grades: Lucas leads Pack back into win column

Hot-shooting guard nets 28 points as Nevada snaps three-game losing streak.

Santoro: Hotshot transfer QB? Pack has been down this road before

Two-time transfer Chubba Purdy — brother to Brock — is an intriguing addition for Nevada.

MW rankings: Lobos think big, take over No. 1 spot

Nevada plummets to No. 6 after losses to SDSU, Wyoming.

Grades: Pack an identity theft victim for 3rd time

Grading the Nevada Wolf Pack’s 98-93 men’s basketball loss to the Wyoming Cowboys in Laramie, Wyo., on Saturday:

Grades: Pack gets pushed around (again) in second straight loss

SDSU hammers Nevada on the boards, pulling away for a 12-point win over slumping Pack.

Santoro: Pack must take advantage of having state’s best fans

Nevada is basically doubling UNLV's embarrassing attendance figures, but Pack must defend Lawlor from the likes of Boise State.

MW rankings: Utah State stuns UNLV, takes over top spot

Wolf Pack falls to third after dropping home game to Boise State.

Grades: Steady Pack gets job done vs. Air Force

Blackshear (22), Lucas (14) combined for 36 points as Nevada finally pulls away from stubborn Falcons.

Santoro: January full of tests as Pack reaches for Top 25

Nevada's schedule includes upcoming tests against Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado and New Mexico.

MW rankings: Utah State handles CSU to move up; Pack at No. 1

Aggies, Wolf Pack both 14-1; Mountain West also has three teams at 13-2.

Grading the Pack: Nevada defense strong against Fresno State

Grading the Nevada Wolf Pack’s 72-57 men’s basketball victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Saturday . . .

MW rankings: Pack leads CSU, SDSU in top-heavy rankings

Aztecs knock off Gonzaga; Rams open conference play with convincing win.

Santoro: Could Pack’s success lead to Alford’s departure?

Nevada is 35-12 — and an NCAA Tournament team — since disastrous 2021-22 season ended.

Grading the Pack: Nevada rolls over Fresno Pacific

Grading the Nevada Wolf Pack’s 92-59 men’s basketball victory over the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds at Lawlor Events Center on Saturday . . .

MW rankings: Tourney title lifts Pack to top spot

Nevada swept three games in the Diamond Head Classic and also beat Hawaii in a tournament tune-up.

Santoro: Pack's sum is greater than its parts

"We are likely looking at a 25-plus win Pack team rolling into the NCAA tournament as a single-digit seed."

MW rankings: Pack remains at No. 2; Rebels lose a two-OT thriller

Colorado State leads Appeal's rankings; next up for Nevada is Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii.

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