Box Score
Dec. 12, 2015
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RENO, Nev. - The second-career double-double from senior Tyron Criswell and strong second half performances from senior Marqueze Coleman and freshman Cameron Oliver lifted the Nevada men's basketball team to a 79-71 victory over Drake in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge on Saturday afternoon at Lawlor Events Center.
Coleman scored 19 points and Oliver matched his career-best with 17 points, all in the second half, on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. Criswell grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds and scored 10 points. Nevada (7-3) moved to 4-0 at home with the victory and gave the program its best start since beginning the 2006-07 season 9-1.
Coleman scored the games' first five points but Drake kept it close and gave itself its first and only lead of the contest, 22-21, on a 3-pointer from Kale Abrahamson with 5:22 to play in the first half. The Wolf Pack would quickly regain the lead by using an 11-0 run, that featured a traditional 3-point play from Coleman, that gave Nevada a 32-22 advantage.
The second half scoring was spearheaded by Coleman who rattled off three quick points to extend the Nevada lead to 35-27. Drake kept its deficit at seven before the Pack used a 4-0 spurt to give itself a 12 point lead, 51-39, with the exclamation point coming on a swat from Oliver and a coast-to-coast finish on the other end from Criswell.
With its lead cut to eight, 71-63, with 5:14 to play, Coleman scored three unanswered baskets that put the Wolf Pack up by 14 and forced a Drake timeout. The Bulldogs missed their next four shots, including three 3-pointers. Drake (4-6) closed on an 8-2 run over the final 1:50 but it wasn't enough.
Nevada will conclude its three-game homestand with a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, Dec. 18, when the Pack takes on Santa Clara.
Wolf Pack Men's Basketball season tickets are on sale with prices as low as $185 for adults and $79 for youth. To purchase online please visit NevadaWolfPack.com/tickets or call the Wolf Pack Ticket Office at (775) 348-PACK (7225) to speak with a representative.
Postgame Game Notes:
-Senior Tyron Criswell recorded his second career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. His first double-double was a 15 point, 11 rebound performance at home against San José State last season.
-Criswell's 12 boards set a new personal best.
-Freshman Cameron Oliver matched his career-high with 17 points, all coming in the second half, on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor.
-Senior Marqueze Coleman was the top scorer for the Wolf Pack for the fifth time this season after posting a game-high 19 points.
-Junior D.J. Fenner's two blocks tied a career-high.
-Nevada topped the Bulldogs in the paint (42-22), off turnovers (22-2), second-chance points (17-11), fast break points (12-4) and bench scoring (29-21).
-Drake had only one lead in the game, a one-point lead that it held for :40.
-The Wolf Pack had five players score in double-figures: Coleman (19), Oliver (17), Fenner (13), sophomore Eric Cooper Jr. (11) and Criswell (10).
-The 79-71 win is the first victory for the Wolf Pack in the season series with Drake. The Bulldogs now lead the all-time series, 4-1.
-Nevada has out-rebounded its opponent in all 10 games this season after topping the Bulldogs 38-34 on the glass.
-The Wolf Pack improved to 7-3 overall with the win and 4-0 at Lawlor Events Center.
-Nevada's 7-3 start is the best start through 10 games since 2006-07 when the Wolf Pack began the season 9-1.
-The Pack's 4-0 start at home is the best for Nevada since the 2012-13 squad also began the home slate 4-0.
-The Mountain West improved to 5-3 in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge with the Pack win.
-Nevada will be back in action on Friday, Dec. 18, when the Pack takes on Santa Clara at Lawlor Events Center.
-- @NevadaWolfPack --
