San Jose State caught fire early and never fully cooled off, handing Nevada an emphatic 87-71 loss after a blistering shooting performance that the Pack could not overcome.
The Spartans set the tone just minutes into the first half. Leading 17-5 early, San Jose State opened the game a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Adrian Myers poured in eight of the Spartans’ first 17 points as Nevada struggled to find its footing defensively.
San Jose State continued to dictate the tempo, using a 6-0 run midway through the half to stretch the lead to 26-10. The Spartans’ energy and shot-making kept Nevada on its heels, and the deficit ballooned to 16 points.
The Pack showed signs of life behind Vaughn Weems, who knocked down a pair of buckets to trim the margin to 30-18 with just under eight minutes in the half. Weems led Nevada with seven first-half points at that point, but every Pack push was met with a response.
By the 3:36 mark, San Jose State had matched its largest lead of the night at 16, shooting a scorching 56.3% from three-point range compared to Nevada’s 11.1%. The Spartans carried a 47-32 advantage into halftime, shooting 52.9% from the field and from deep. Corey Camper Jr. and Weems paced the Pack with seven points apiece at the break.
Nevada attempted to claw back in the second half. Though San Jose State maintained a double-digit lead early, the Pack began to heat up. Amire Robinson sparked a surge out of a timeout with an and-one layup, igniting a 6-0 run that cut the deficit to 56-46 with 14:45 remaining.
Moments later, Nevada used a 12-2 run and hit five of its last six shots to pull within eight, 60-52, at the 11:57 mark. Robinson provided a major boost off the bench, scoring seven points in nine minutes to help shift the momentum.
But each time Nevada threatened, San Jose State answered. Colby Garland, who had 19 points through the first 24 minutes, continued to orchestrate the offense. Buckets from Camper and Tayshawn Comer kept the Pack within striking distance at 72-61 with 7:44 to play, yet the Spartans’ efficiency remained elite.
In the final minutes, the Spartans pulled away for good. Nevada hit just one of its last nine shots as San Jose State extended the lead to 79-63 with under four minutes remaining, effectively sealing the outcome.
Garland finished with a game-high 29 points and nine assists to lead the Spartans, who earned just their second conference victory of the season. Camper led Nevada with 18 points, three rebounds and four assists. On the night, the Pack shot just 15% from three-point range, while San Jose State connected on 51.7% of its attempts from deep.
With the loss, Nevada falls to 17-9 and now faces a challenging stretch ahead with matchups against Utah State and New Mexico looming.