Last Year: 22-11; Fourth (12-6) in the Mountain West Conference, lost in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Steve Alford (Fifth Year; 70-51 at Nevada, with one NCAA Tournament appearance)
Projected Starting Lineup
| G Jarod Lucas – 6’4″, 195 – Senior (5th) |
| G Kenan Blackshear – 6’6″, 215 – Senior (5th) |
| W Tré Coleman – 6’7″, 185 – Senior |
| F Nick Davidson – 6’9″, 215 – Sophomore |
| F/C KJ Hymes – 6’10”, 235 – Senior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Jarod Lucas: 17.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.4 spg – 37.8% 3FG
Kenan Blackshear: 14.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.5 spg – 44.4% FG
Tré Coleman: 6.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.9 bpg
Nick Davidson: 6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.5 bpg – 35.8% 3FG
KJ Hymes: 9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg in four games played
Experienced Reserves
| G Hunter McIntosh – 6’3″, 185 – Senior (5th) |
| F Tylan Pope – 6’6″, 240 – Junior |
| W Tyler Powell – 6’5″, 220 – Junior |
| C Jeriah Coleman – 7’1″, 230 – Junior |
| W Daniel Foster – 6’6″, 215 – Senior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Hunter McIntosh: 2.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.7 apg in six games played
Tylan Pope: 6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 1.0 spg – 48.7% FG @ Tulane
Tyler Powell: 2.2 ppg 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.2 spg – 38.2% FG
Jeriah Coleman: 9.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.6 bpg – 59.7% FG @ Clarendon College
Daniel Foster: 1.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.5 spg – 48.4% FG
Freshmen
| G Tyler Rolison – 6’0″, 180 – Consensus Top 200 recruit |
| C Jazz Gardner – 7’0″, 225 – Consensus Top 150 recruit |
Head coach Steve Alford took Nevada to the NCAA Tournament last season, because that is what Steve Alford does. The Wolfpack became the fifth program which Alford has led to the Big Dance, and though Nevada only made it into a ‘First Four’ play-in game, it was a major success after just 13 wins the year before. The whole season was a fun experience, until it ended in bitter, overwhelming defeat as Arizona State shot almost 70% from the floor in the first twenty minutes of that First Four game and ended up running the Pack out of the gym by a final of 98-73.
It was the kind of drubbing that can leave a team feeling like they have unfinished business to see about. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, two of their five returning starters transferred in the offseason. Had star center Will Baker and Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year Darrion Williams returned, the Pack would have been a strong contender for a conference title heading into fall. Even without them, though, this season’s Wolfpack has designs on getting back to March Madness again. And this time, landing some blows of their own.
The biggest reasons for lofty expectations in 2024 are Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear. Each has NBA aspirations, but they both decided to return for one more season together. They complement one another very well, and together, are the leaders of this year’s Pack.
Lucas is a terrific outside shooter, and in his first season after transferring from Oregon State posted career highs in points and three’s made. His scoring rate of 17 points per game ranked fifth in the Mountain West, and his 79 makes from the land of trey were good enough for third in the league. A crafty player who’s seen all sorts of the different defenses that can be thrown at a star scorer, Lucas works tirelessly to run around and make use of screens, and he used his dribble more effectively than ever before last season to get to his spots and create good opportunities. He also shot more than a hundred more free throws than the season prior, knocking down 86% of them to lead the Pack in both categories. As a team, Nevada should continue to shoot the ball well from the charity stripe; they were top five in the country as a group last year, and it’s likely that Alford’s top four scorers this year will all be guys who shot at least 78.0% at the line a year ago.
As Alford’s top option last winter, Lucas scored in double figures 29 times, and he hit three or more triples in 15 different games. When the Pack needs a bucket, Lucas is the man. While Lucas isn’t the world’s greatest playmaker or defender, he did improve as last season went on and he got more comfortable playing off of his teammates. As one of the most postseason-tested players on this team, Lucas will be looked to this year as the Wolfpack try to author a better ending. As they forge ahead, it’s always a good thing for Lucas and all of his teammates to have a coach- and former star player – like Alford as a leadership resource. “Coach has a unique perspective being that as a player he won a National Championship. I don’t think too many coaches can say the same thing,” Lucas has said. Now in his final season, Lucas is ready to step even further up, lead like never before, and turn in his most complete effort yet.
The super-sized guard stepped up to hand out 153 assists – fourth in the league – and was named to the Mountain West All-Defensive team
Playing a complete game is what Blackshear is all about. Last year, he had a career season of his own after moving to a primary ballhandling role due to an injury to presumed starting point guard Hunter McIntosh. The super-sized guard stepped up to hand out 153 assists – fourth in the league – and was named to the Mountain West All-Defensive team. He had Nevada’s first triple-double in 40 years, and Blackshear won two games for the Wolfpack on memorable shots in the closing moments. What can Blackshear do next? He could stand to finish more looks at the rim, and improve his consistency from distance, also. Strangely for such a strong player, Blackshear shot under 48% on attempts from point-blank range, per Bart Torvik. It wasn’t that he didn’t drive the lane or post up smaller defenders and bigs alike – he drives it hard, and earned more than five freebie attempts per game. It also seems likely that last season was a bit of an anomaly; Blackshear hit 58% of his shots near the rim two years ago, and as a sophomore at Florida Atlantic in 2021, he was at an even better 61% in close.
As ever, Blackshear did sound work from the midrange and elbow, though, using short jumpers, floaters and the glass to get his buckets. If Blackshear can make one more bunny which was a miss last year per contest, it may very well be enough to win another close game or two. His defense allows Alford great flexibility, as Blackshear can guard positions 1-4 on many opposing teams, and he has proven adept at getting the ball to teammates off of opponents’ turnovers for cheap buckets. Blackshear will also try to get his three point percentage back up above 34, as he slumped to 28% a year ago. There aren’t many pairings better than Lucas and Blackshear, and this season they hope to get some help from two veteran teammates who missed nearly all of last year with injuries.
KJ Hymes and Hunter McIntosh were set to add quality, experienced support to the bigger stars last season. Instead, McIntosh had to undergo knee surgery before the season even began, while Hymes got off to a great start before hurting his back during pregame warmups and having surgery of his own which shelved him for all of the Pack’s remaining games. What could have been last year with two of their top 7 players fully healthy will no doubt be a topic of conversation and consternation in the Biggest Little City in the World for years to come. While Hymes was lost for the season, McIntosh rehabbed like a madman and made it back before the postseason. “I’ve had a lot of injuries to players,” said Alford upon McIntosh’s return. “I don’t know if I’ve had anybody that has an injury like he’s had rehab as hard and work as hard to get back to a team than what he’s done.”.
After years of languishing on Elon University teams that wouldn’t sniff the NCAA Tournament, McIntosh was not about to miss his opportunity. “I feel like every college basketball player’s goal and dream is to be able to play in the tournament, and to be able to do that here in Nevada, I know that would be very special just to add to the winning pedigree that they have in this program,” McIntosh told Nevada Sports Net upon returning to the court. He didn’t play much down the stretch while trying to get back to full speed, but McIntosh did get to play in the NCAA Tournament, and there, he had a season-high eight points and three assists. Now, he’s out to show what he can do with a full, healthy season; and another trip to the Big Dance is very much in McIntosh’s sights. Twice named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Conference team, McIntosh made 85 starts and 223 three point shots over the course of his Elon career. Those Phoenix teams needed his scoring badly, and as such he couldn’t focus as much on making plays for others. Now that McIntosh is surrounded by bucket-getters like Blackshear and Lucas, he figures to have as much fun handing out dimes as he does splashing outside shots. He’s also been widely praised for his tight defense in practices, and Alford is excited to trot out his three best guards at the same time for a change.
Hymes started off last season looking like a great second big to go along with Baker. Hymes had a 16 point effort in Nevada’s third tilt and was averaging three blocks per game. Then, as he got into the layup line before the Wolfpack’s game against Tulane, Hymes felt something go wrong in his back…and those four games were the totality of his season. Hymes hasn’t been able to play a full season without injury since his freshman year, and back injuries can be difficult and complex things to fully heal. Hymes is banking on his considerable effort in rehabbing this summer paying off with a big season. Each season of his career, Hymes has been super-productive on a per minute basis. Unfortunately, he has also picked up fouls at a prolific rate in addition to the injuries. When healthy, Hymes is a great rim protector with good length and surprising quickness. Offensively, he can stretch defenders out to the three point arc with his jumper or finish around the rim. And while no athletic marvel, he can always get up and down the court effectively. If Hymes can defend and block shots without fouling for a change, and he should be able to fully deliver on the tantalizing flashes he’s shown those in attendance at the Lawlor Events Center ovrr the years.
Alford is also expecting to get major contributions from two of last year’s best young role players. Tré Coleman, then a sophomore, joined Blackshear on the Mountain West All-Defensive team. He’s a quick, rangy, smothering defender who is just about as efficient a player as you could ask for. He doesn’t need many touches to get his points, creates opportunities for his friends and is a master of the ‘secondary assist’, initiating lots of offense with snappy passing both in and outside of the arc. He can bring the ball up and attack in transition, and Coleman doesn’t cough up many turnovers. With great quickness and anticipation combined with his height and long reach, Tré Coleman stole 34 passes and blocked 31 shots a year ago. This year, he’s looking to emerge as a top-flight ‘3 and D’ guy and, potentially, the MW Defensive Player of the Year.
Nick Davidson ended up being hugely valuable in his redshirt freshman season after Hymes went down. While not the intimidating shot blocker his veteran counterpart is, Davidson is a talented offensive player who can pull defenses away from the paint with his jumper. He’s a classic stretch-4 who doesn’t mind working in the paint, but does some of his best work from 15+ feet out. In anticipation of an uptick in minutes, Davidson added more than ten pounds of muscle this summer and is ready to emerge as a key offensive option for Alford. If Davidson can hold up defensively, he may see about the same 25 minutes that Baker commanded a year ago.
Four newcomers are expected to fit in as key members of the rotation, too. Tulane transfer Tylan Pope adds back a lot of the things which were lost when Williams left for Texas Tech. “We played against Tylan last year in the Caymans,” said Alford upon Pope’s commitment. “Tylan brings maturity, toughness and an athletic and physical presence to our team. He is a high-character young man that should make an immediate impact.” While undersized at the 4 spot, Pope is nonetheless fearless and happy to mix it up diving for loose balls or fighting for rebounds no matter how big his opponents are. He’s blocked 49 shots in 57 games the last two seasons, and Pope routinely handled defensive assignments against the best frontcourt players his Green Wave were facing. While he is more likely to be found on the block getting effort buckets, Pope can also knock down a jumper. He’s a 33% career shooter from downtown, and will battle Davidson for the prime minutes at forward.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| .587 – Assists Per Field Goal Made (20th) |
| 7.7 – Opponent 3FG Made Per Game (245th) |
| 79.4% – Team Free Throw Percentage (5th) |
| 7.0 – Opponent Offensive Rebounds Per Game (328th) |
| 1.367 – Team Assist to Turnover Ratio (28th) |
Meanwhile, Hymes will get a challenge at the pivot from junior college import Jeriah Coleman. A lanky and athletic seven-foot-plus veteran, Jeriah Coleman spent two years largely on the bench at Saint Francis University (PA) before playing last season in the JuCo ranks, where he was a dominant defensive force. Alford is hoping that the confidence Jeriah Coleman found in his year away from Division I will translate into a consistent presence in the middle of the Wolfpack defense. While he’s limited offensively, he has decent hands and is highly mobile. And with Nevada’s guards drawing most of the attention from opposing defenders, Jeriah Coleman will simply need to keep his head up and hands ready, because they will find him for some easy chances inside.
Freshman Tyler Rolison will look to earn a first-year role off the bench and brings toughness, playmaking ability and a winning attitude to the point. “Tough-as-nails and energetic,” is how Eric Bossi of 247 Sports has described him, and Rolison chose Nevada over Xavier, Oklahoma State and Washington. Rolison is one of the top five highest-rated recruits Nevada has ever signed, a borderline Top 150 prospect who can score off the bounce, attack the paint to create open looks for teammates, and play sticky defense. He offers some contrast to McIntosh at the point, and that may help Rolison to prove himself valuable right away. As hyped an addition as Rollison is, though, the jewel of this year’s recruiting class may be final commitment to come aboard.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – TCU / Old Dominion – December 22 |
| N – Drake – December 9 |
| TBD – Diamond Head Classic – December 23 |
| @ Washington – November 12 |
| vs Weber State – December 13 |
Center Jazz Gardner is a Top 150 prospect whose long recruiting saga finally ended in late June, with the seven footer from California choosing Nevada. A mobile pivot with good athleticism, timing and offensive instincts, Gardner should be able to play a role in the post right away. “Mostly known for his skill level, Gardner has not always impressed with his motor, but his overall energy is what gave his team momentum to push through,” said Brandon Jenkins of 247 Sports upon seeing Gardner play at the end of 2022. “At 6-foot-11, Gardner was unstoppable when getting position and receiving the ball in the low post.” Gardner turned down Houston, Illinois and Texas Tech to play in Reno, and, along with Rollison, his signing marks a serious step up in Nevada recruiting. The youngster will need to continue adding strength to go up against MW bigs, and in anticipation of playing high major ball, Gardner has gotten bigger over the past year. His late commitment didn’t make things any easier for Gardner to hit the ground running, but Alford is excited to have such a talent in place to develop on the job.
Daniel Foster and Tyler Powell return to round out the bench, and each provides energy and solid defense, if not a tremendous amount of scoring. Powell, like Tré Coleman, is a ‘3 and D’ wing player who can guard 1-3 effectively, and has the strength to take on larger players. Despite playing in every game last year, he never fully clicked from one game to the next. Now, he’s hoping to earn a role that’s all his own. Foster has seen his minutes drop in each of the last three seasons, but he has Alford’s trust and can make an impact on the game without scoring a point. There were times last season when Alford used Foster as a secondary ballhandler. The 6’6″ Australian wing is a tough defender who is adept at drawing charges and making hustle plays, and he outworks bigger players for rebounds.
Nevada might not quite be on San Diego State or Boise State’s level this year. Then again, maybe they are. Having two true stars in Blackshear and Lucas gives the Wolfpack a chance to beat just about anyone they play. If this year’s supporting cast is healthy, Alford has constructed a team without many holes and there are a couple of young guys ready to step into the spotlight themselves. If Coleman can provide better rim protection that the Wolfpack saw last year and he, Gardner and Pope can help to figure things out on the boards, Nevada will have a few more chances to avoid scoring droughts – and they might even pick up some fun, easy buckets.
Nevada could have seen mass defections after Baker and Williams hit the Transfer Portal, but Alford held things together, and his star guards are pillars around which their teammates can rally. Conference play is going to be a two-month-plus battle yet again, but Nevada has a nice mix of complimentary players and they all play hard. And it’s just been announced that in the not-too-distant future, Wolfpack will be getting a massively upgraded new facility to call home. Alford has added young talent to his strong, veteran core, and has designs on keeping Nevada in contention for awhile. Much the same way that this year, the Wolfpack want to not only punch their ticket to the Dance, but stay awhile.
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