RENO, Nev. – Rayjon Tucker led all players with 21 points, but the size and speed of Nevada proved too much for Little Rock as the Trojans fell to the sixth-ranked Wolf Pack 87-59 at Lawlor Events Center Friday evening.
The loss was the first setback of the season for the Trojans, who fall to 2-1 overall, while Nevada improves to 3-0 on the year. The game also marked the first in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Classic for both teams.
Tucker's career-high came on 8-of-13 shooting while grabbing four rebounds and adding a block. He was joined in the double-digit club by
Jaizec Lottie, who just missed his first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds while dishing out three assists, tied for the team-high.
But the Trojan offensive production was held in check by Nevada's defense, holding Little Rock to just 34.9 percent shooting on the night and limiting the Trojans to just 8-of-30 (26.7 percent) from beyond the three-point line. Little Rock also was hit with self-inflicted wounds, making just seven of its 17 free throw attempts (41.2 percent).
In contrast, Nevada finished with five players in double figures, led by 19 from Caleb Martin and 17 each from Jordan Caroline and Jazz Johnson as Caroline notched a double-double with 12 rebounds as well. The Wolf Pack shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three-point range, connecting on 10 of 27 attempts.
It was a sluggish start to the game for both teams as cold shooting, couple with an excessive amount of early fouls, limited both team's productivity. Nevada took advantage with an 11-2 run early in the first half, racing out to 10 point lead at 14-4.
Little Rock trimmed the deficit to nine at 22-13 off a three-pointer from Lottie with 8:34 remaining in the opening stanza, but that was the last time the Trojans were within single digits of the Wolf Pack. Nevada closed out the half on a 14-4 run, pushing its lead to 20 at 43-23 at intermission.
Only three Trojans scored in the opening 20 minutes, led by 11 points from Tucker, seven from
Kamani Johnson and five from Lottie as Little Rock struggled from the floor, connecting on just 28.1 percent of its shots and going 3-for-15 from three in the opening 20 minutes.
Nevada maintained its intensity in the second half, keeping a sizeable advantage on the Trojans. Little Rock closed the gap to 16 at 60-44 just under the midway point of the second off a dunk from Tucker, but the Wolf Pack's size and speed wore down the Trojans late, leading by as many as 34 before settling into the 87-59 decision.
Johnson and
Deondre Burns both added seven points off the bench for Little Rock with
Markquis Nowell adding six points and three assists. Little Rock's inside game took a major blow early as both
Nikola Maric and
Kris Bankston fouled out early in the second half, leaving the game with just a combined three points between the two.
Little Rock looks to bounce back from their first loss of the season in the second of four games as part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Classic as the Trojans now travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to face the Golden Hurricane. Opening tip at Tulsa is set for 7 p.m. Monday, November 19 from the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
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