Nevada’s basketball team secured a dominant victory over Air Force in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Wolf Pack, despite being the favourites, left nothing to chance, throttling Air Force in a historic game. Nevada opened the game with a 13-0 run and later added a 16-0 spurt, leading to an 80-45 victory.
Record-Breaking Performance
Nevada set a pair of tournament records in the process. These included the largest margin of victory at 35 points, and the fewest points allowed in a half, with just 10. Air Force’s late 9-0 run prevented them from setting a further record for the fewest points scored in a tournament game, which remained at 39.
The previous record for the highest margin of victory in a Mountain West Tournament game was San Diego State’s 34-point win over Utah State in 2014. Wyoming’s 11 points in a half against UNLV in 2012 was the previous low-water mark in one half, before Air Force’s 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
Coach Alford’s Reaction
Nevada basketball coach Steve Alford expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance. “I’m just super blessed,” Alford said. “These guys have been a blast all season long. It’s been a quick season, which means you’ve had a lot of fun. These guys have been great to coach. To beat a team twice, to get the third one, it’s all about your start.”
The Wolf Pack initiated the game with a 13-0 run, extending it to a 32-4 run. In the first half, Air Force struggled, making only 5 of 30 shots from the field and failing to convert any of their 13 three-point attempts. Nevada then shifted into cruise control in the second half, utilising substitutes and winning the final 20 minutes by 41-35.
Key Players and Statistics
Corey Camper Jr. led Nevada with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting, along with five rebounds. Chuck Bailey III contributed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, all scored in the second half. Tayshawn Comer added nine points, while Joel Armotrading, Elijah Price, and Vaughn Weems each scored eight points. Camper Jr. played the most minutes for Nevada with 23.
- Nevada shot 26-of-57 (45.6 percent) from the field.
- Nevada shot 5-of-20 from three.
- Nevada shot 23-of-30 from the free throw line.
Air Force made 16-of-57 shots (28.1 percent), including 2-of-22 from three and 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Kam Sanders scored a game-high 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
This victory was more dominant than Nevada’s 74-59 win over Air Force in their regular-season finale just four days earlier.
Looking Ahead
No. 5 Nevada has advanced to the quarterfinal, where they will face No. 4 Grand Canyon. Nevada improved to 21-11, while Air Force concluded their season at 3-29 with 25 consecutive losses. The teams played once in the regular season, with the Wolf Pack winning 66-60 in overtime at Lawlor Events Center. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday.