San Diego State vs. Nevada
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nev.
On the air: Fox Sports 1; 760-AM
Records: SDSU is 9-4, 3-0; Nevada is 11-3, 3-0
Series history: SDSU leads 28-7 and has won 12 of the last 14 overall but lost two of the last three in Reno. The Aztecs swept the series last year, 69-50 in Reno and 80-61 at Viejas Arena.
Aztecs update: BJ Davis became their first Mountain West Player of the Week this season after averaging 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a pair of wins. The only other SDSU players to achieve Davis’ line in the 110-107 triple overtime win against Boise State – 22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals – since 1996-97 is Jamaal Franklin against a Division III opponent in 2011. Davis leads the nation in bench scoring at 13.0 points per game among players with 289 minutes or less. After another 46 points, their ninth game of at least 40, the Aztecs now rank second nationally in bench scoring at 43.2 points per game. Despite the win, SDSU dropped below Boise State in the Kenpom metric, with the Broncos now 49 and the Aztecs holding steady at 51. The Aztecs climbed in the NET, though, breaking the top 70 for the first time all season at 69. They are in the same range in other key metrics: 68 in strength of record, 72 in KPI and 78 in BPI. This represents a Quad 1 opportunity for SDSU, which is 0-3 in Q1 this season, because it’s a road game against a top 75 opponent. However, Nevada is 67 and would have to still be in the top 75 at the end of the season. Kenpom predicts a 75-73 Wolf Pack win.
Wolf Pack update: They have won seven straight after a 4-3 start. The losses came at Santa Clara, at home against UC Davis and on a neutral floor against Washington. The run of wins includes victories over USF, UCSD, Washington State, Duquesne and then three conference games: 81-66 against Boise State, 75-62 at Colorado State and 66-65 at Fresno State. The Wolf Pack aren’t particularly tall, starting players listed at 6-1, 6-4, 6-5, 6-8 and 6-9, but every starter is in at least his third college season. The leading scorer is Evansville transfer guard Tayshawn Comer (14.1 points). Elijah Price, a 6-9 forward who transferred from Fresno State, averages 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and nearly two blocks. He had a 19-rebound game against Southern Illinois on Nov. 12. Guard Tyler Rolison, one of the few returnees from last season, came off the bench to score 14 of his team-high 16 points against Fresno State, including the game-winner on a layup with 10 seconds left. Rolson had a career-high 21 points at Colorado State on Dec. 30. The Wolf Pack is averaging 20.5 made free throws per game, which ranks first in the Mountain West and eighth nationally. At 72, Nevada is below SDSU in Kenpom but better in several other metrics. KPI ranks them 24th.
Next up: Saturday vs. Fresno State (8 p.m., CBSSN)