LAS VEGAS — Jalen Lake scored 16 points and Isaiah Stevens added 15 as seventh-seed Colorado State upset second-seeded Nevada in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament Thursday night.
Lake scored 15 points in the first half as the Rams (24-9) led by as much as 15 points. Colorado State rebuilt their 15-point lead in the second half.
Nique Clifford added 14 points and 10 rebounds as Colorado State knocked off the No. 23 team in the nation and strengthened its case for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
Jarod Lucas led Nevada with 18 points, and Kenan Blackshear added 16.
Nevada (26-7) cut a 10-point halftime deficit to two, 47-45, but the Rams scored 12 straight points to take a 59-45 lead at the 13:18 mark of the second half.
But Nevada gradually chipped away at the Rams’ lead, and after three straight layups, two by Nick Davidson and the last by Tylan Pope, the Wolf Pack narrowed the score to 74-69 with 5:21 to play.
Later, the Rams’ Joel Scott pulled down an offensive rebound and scored while being fouled, and his free throw gave the Rams an 82-72 lead with 2:16 to play. Nevada scored the next six points, but couldn’t get any closer.
Colorado State lost both regular-season meetings to Nevada but earned a trip to the tournament semifinals Friday. The Rams will face the winner of Thursday’s late game between sixth-seeded New Mexico and third-seeded Boise State.
Colorado State had the early energy, getting out to a 12-5 lead before Nevada responded with seven straight points. But the Rams were much more active than the Wolf Pack in the first half.
A lob from Stevens to Clifford for a dunk gave Colorado State a 35-24 lead with 2:30 to play in the half. Then Lake hit a corner 3-pointer, followed that up with another trey off an offensive rebound, and the Rams went ahead 41-26 with 1:02 to go.
Lake made all three of his 3-pointers in the half. A late basket by Daniel Foster and three free throws with 0.3 seconds left by Tyler Rolison got Nevada to within 43-33 at halftime.
Lucas, who was second in the Mountain West in scoring this season at 17.8 points per game, had 12 of his points in the first half.
–By Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media