The Nevada men’s basketball team hosts UC San Diego on Tuesday. Nevada Sports Net’s Chris Murray breaks down the game with his three keys to victory and prediction. This feature is presented in partnership with Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney.

UC San Diego (7-0) vs. Nevada (5-3)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Lawlor Events Center (11,536 capacity)

TV/Radio: Nevada Sports Net/95.5 FM

Online: NevadaSportsNet.com

Betting line: Nevada by 5.5; total of 149.5

Three keys for Nevada to win

1. No clean threes: UC San Diego is averaging 85.9 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field (12th in the NCAA) and 42.3 percent from three (fourth in the NCAA). The Tritons average 26 3-point attempts per game with nearly 46 percent of their shots coming from beyond the arc. This is one of college basketball’s top shooting teams with all but two of UC San Diego’s nine rotation players making at least 36 percent of their threes, making the Tritons hard to defend. UC San Diego hits 11 3-pointers per game. Nevada has struggled defending the three, with opponents making 36.4 percent of their 3-pointers. If the Wolf Pack can hold UC San Diego to single-digit made threes, it likely wins.

2. Up big down low: Nevada’s advantage in this game should come in the post where the Wolf Pack is bigger and more athletic. It’s unknown if Joel Armotrading will play after taking a major blow to the chest last Thursday against Washington before missing the team’s game against San Francisco on Friday. Nevada didn’t miss its starting center in the win over the Dons, as freshman Ethan Croley posted a double-double in his place. UC San Diego has been vulnerable in some games in allowing offensive rebounds, an area Nevada can have success. The Wolf Pack needs a big advantage in points in the paint given the edge UC San Diego will likely have beyond the 3-point line.

3. Keep it up freshmen: Nevada’s freshmen were the key to its win over San Francisco four days ago with Croley (11 points, 10 rebounds, 5-of-7 shooting), Peyton White (10 points, 4-of-10 shooting) and Myles Walker (seven points, three assists, 3-of-3 shooting) proving crucial. Croley stepped in for the injured Armotrading, White continued his solid play and Walker passed veteran Tyler Rolison as Nevada’s backup point guard. Getting consistent play out of freshmen is not something you can usually bank on, but if those three play well, Nevada all of a sudden has a lot of depth. If those rookies can replicate their performance against USF against UC San Diego, that’d be a huge boost.

Prediction

Nevada 76, UC San Diego 73: This is a dangerous game for Nevada given UC San Diego’s ability to make threes and the Wolf Pack’s issues defending the three. The Tritons won the Big West last year in a 30-win campaign before losing head coach Eric Olen to New Mexico. His assistant, Clint Allard, was promoted to the top job and returned almost nobody – just 9.4 percent of the team’s scoring and 10.9 percent of its minutes played were back. Despite only one of UC San Diego’s top-nine scorers this season playing for the Tritons last year, this squad has an elite offense and is ranked one spot ahead of Nevada in the KenPom rankings (101st to the Wolf Pack’s 102nd). UC San Diego has not played a top-120 opponent, so this is a new level of competition. It will come down to the Tritons’ shooting versus the Wolf Pack’s defense. Season record: 5-3

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter at @ByChrisMurray.