Nevada beats New Mexico State

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Back where they believe they belong.

The Nevada Wolf Pack, the preseason pick to win the Western Athletic Conference basketball title, moved into a three-way tie for the top spot after a 90-81 triumph over New Mexico State Saturday night at the Pan American Center.

Nevada, thanks to its fourth straight win and season bests in points and field goal percentage (56), improved to 17-5 overall and 7-3 in the WAC. Utah State and Louisiana Tech also are 7-3 with six conference games remaining.

The victory capped a big week for the Pack, which knocked off Louisiana Tech on Thursday night.

"We felt like we dug ourselves a hole (earlier in the year)," said Nevada forward Nick Fazekas, who poured in 36 points on 12-for-17 from the field and 10-for-13 from the line. "Now we've dug ourselves out. We've got to keep it going; keep winning."

And, the Pack needed all 36 of those points by Fazekas to put this one way. On Thursday, NMSU gave up 32 to Utah State's Jaycee Carroll, but still won. The Aggies weren't as fortunate last night.

"He's a great player," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "He's a better player than he was a year ago, and his numbers show that. I'm not stupid. I'm going to get the ball to him."

"Fazekas had a helluva game," NMSU head coach Reggie Theus said. "I wouldn't say he dominated every time down (the floor). He had a pro-like 36. When he had the opportunities, he took advantage of them."

If the Pack plans to continue their streak it will be against the same teams they just played. Nevada returns home to host New Mexico State on Thursday and then hosts Louisiana Tech the following Monday. That's not a situation either coach likes.

"It will be strange and very unique for both teams," Fox said. "I'm not sure it's good for the league. I'm sure both teams will make adjustments and try to play better come Thursday."

"I think that stinks," Theus said. "They (Nevada and Utah State) shouldn't be travel partners. They (the WAC) know they are two of the best teams. I don't know if it has to be that way or not."

One thing is certain, Nevada will have to do a better job against Elijah Ingram and Tyrone Nelson, the Aggies' top scorers. Ingram, whose quickness gave Nevada fits, finished with 26. Nelson added 22.

"They are terrific players," Fox said. "We didn't do a good job on Nelson. He scored 22 and shot over 50 percent.

"We're not where we should be (defensively). They are the No. 1 field goal percentage team in conference play, so they are having success against everyone. They're a hard guard."

New Mexico State, meanwhile, will have to find a way to contain Fazekas a little better, and to be able to sustain good energy the entire game. Theus felt that his team may have been fatigued toward the end of the game when Nevada went on a 15-5 run to erase a 68-65 NMSU lead.

"They had us rattled," Fox admitted, referring to the Aggies' 11-2 run that got them their three-point lead. "The timeout; the media timeout came. We were able to get the game calmed down. Their pressure bothered us."

Kyle Shiloh started the surge with a 3-pointer, tying the score at 68 with 7:42 left. Kevin Ford snapped the two with two free throws, drawing Chad Bell's fourth foul in the process.

With Demarshay Johnson already on the bench with four fouls, Bell's foul made Fox a little concerned.

"We're thin up front," Fox said. "With David Ellis' injury and Chad's knee (strained ligament), yes I was concerned."

Nevada reeled off eight straight points, as Fazekas converted a three-point play following a putback and Marcelus Kemp dropped in a 3-pointer.

"I just came off a ball screen and made it," Kemp said. "I think they kind of got confused."

Kemp stole a pass on the next NMSU possession, and the Pack worked the ball into Fazekas, who was fouled by Nelson. Fazekas knocked in both shots to make it 76-70 with 5:33 left.

Theus was disappointed in his team's play in that span.

"I thought that the energy level was not what I like," Theus said. "In spurts, we played with great passion and energy. It was not good enough for the entire game.

"Elijah threw the ball away and Mike Mitchell missed one from the corner. It was a good shot, but we had a guy wide open under the basket. We let Fazekas get an offensive rebound. On that 3-pointer (by Kemp) we were in a zone and Ford was supposed to shade. He got too deep and they got the 3-pointer. That all happened in that stretch."

David Fisher scored a basket and free throw to make it 76-73. Mo Charlo broke the press and scored a transition layup and Kemp knocked down a jump shot with 2:50 left, extending the lead to 80-73.

The Aggies never got closer than five points the rest of the game, as Nevada converted 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.

The first half saw five ties and three lead changes. Nevada was able to build a 41-37 lead, thanks mainly to the offensive efforts of Fazekas, who knocked down 8-for-13 from the field for 19 points.

Nevada, which shot 54.8 from the field, held a 25-14 lead midway through the first half, as Fazekas scored seven, Kemp tallied two 3-pointers and Johnson scored eight, including two of his first-half baskets on putbacks en route to a career-high 12 points.

Getting defensive stops proved to be a problem after that. New Mexico State, which shot 48.4 for the half, battled back and overtook the Pack with an 18-6 surge to take a 33-31 lead with less than five minutes left in the half. Nelson had three baskets, all from inside the paint area, and Ingram started the surge with two baskets.

Fazekas, who fell two points shy of his most prolific half of the year (21 against Hawai'i and Kansas), got hot with eight points in the final 4:16 to give the Pack its halftime bulge. Two of the baskets were three-point plays, as he got behind the Aggies' defense.

"They (teams) don't think I can run," Fazekas said. "I proved I can outrun people, and my teammates get me the ball when they are on my back, and it's an easy game from there."

Five points from Fazekas and two buckets by Johnson enabled Nevada to extend its lead to 54-45 with 15:05 to play.

After New Mexico State trimmed the deficit to 57-55 on an Ingram 3-pointer, Fazekas was fouled beyond the 3-point arc and hit all three shots for a 60-55 lead.

Soon after, the Aggies went on the aforementioned 11-2 run, setting the stage for some more late heroics by Nevada.

"We battled to win," Fox said. "We beat a good basketball team. If we do that on the road, you have to be pleased getting to leave with a win."