The Nevada Wolf Pack escaped with a narrow 78–77 victory over the Pacific Tigers on Saturday night at the Lawlor Events Center, surviving a late push to remain undefeated early in the season. Coming off a dominant win against Louisiana Tech to open the year, Nevada looked poised to repeat that success after jumping out to an early lead. The Pack controlled the first ten minutes behind strong play from guard Tayshawn Comer, but Pacific fought back, erasing a double-digit deficit to send the game into halftime tied at 40.
Photo Cred: Nevada Sports Net
The second half turned into a back-and-forth battle, with neither team leading by more than six points. Comer led the way for the Pack, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists while hitting key free throws down the stretch. Forward Tyler Rolison added 14 points and five rebounds, including a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes that helped Nevada regain momentum. Down low, Nevada’s frontcourt provided critical support.
Elijah Price notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Joel Armotrading added 11 points and a game-high 15 boards. Their presence on the glass proved vital, as the Pack out-rebounded Pacific 45–33 and converted 18 offensive rebounds into valuable second-chance points. Despite the win, the game exposed several areas for improvement.
Nevada shot just 43.1% from the field and 26.7% from three-point range, while allowing Pacific to connect on 45.5% of its attempts from beyond the arc. It was something the Pack will look to tighten up as they face tougher opponents later in the season. The Pack also forced only eight turnovers, showing lapses in defensive pressure that nearly cost them the game in the closing moments.
Photo Cred: Pacific Tigers
Pacific had a chance to steal the win, getting off a clean look as time expired, but the shot rimmed out—prompting a collective sigh of relief from the Lawlor crowd. Head coach Steve Alford acknowledged after the game that his team’s defensive focus and consistency must improve. But said he was encouraged by the group’s resilience in a close contest.
“It wasn’t our cleanest night,” Alford noted, “but we found a way to win, and that’s what good teams do early in the season.”
Through two games, Nevada has shown both its potential and its flaws. The backcourt duo of Bailey and Comer continues to shine, while the team’s rebounding dominance remains a key strength. However, if the Wolf Pack hope to contend later in the season, they’ll need to tighten their perimeter defense and find more rhythm from long range. Nevada (2–0) will look to build on its strong start when it hosts Southern Illinois on November 12, aiming to turn close calls into commanding wins as the non-conference schedule continues.
