Nevada used a 19-0 run to break a tight contest open. The Wolf Pack cruised to a 85-70 Mountain West Conference win in front of 7,315 fans.

“What hurts the most is this was a game where we didn’t play perfect, but the effort was there and you have a chance on the road and it just slips away,” said Aggie guard Steven Ashworth, who finished with a team-best 15 points. “There are some things we can correct and fix.”

Having survived a 10-0 run earlier in the second half, the Aggies (14-4, 3-2 MW) held a 64-62 lead with 8:56 to play. Seemingly, they had weathered another storm.

Then USU went 10 possessions without scoring over a timespan of 6:50 minutes. Nevada (15-4, 5-1) more than took advantage.

The Wolf Pack got two offensive rebounds and Kenan Blackshear finally scored. It would be the start of 19 straight points by the hosts as they scored on nine of 11 possessions.

“We were right there to win it, but I thought their (Wolf Pack) defense was fabulous down the stretch,” USU head coach Ryan Odom said. “Obviously, they scored a lot of baskets, but I thought their defense was really the key. We took some shots that we need to go back and take a look at. I thought they did a good job of defending us.”

Blackshear had eight points and Will Baker had nine for Nevada during the game-deciding run. Both finished with career highs in scoring Friday night as Blackshear had a game-best 28 points, and Baker had 24.

Max Shulga finally stopped the run with two free throws with 2:06 to play. Taylor Funk tipped in his own miss to register the lone field goal for the Aggies since the 8:56 mark. USU went 8:04 between made baskets.

“There is going to be a lot of things in those last eight minutes that we can watch, freeze frame, freeze frame and freeze frame again of things we wish we did differently,” Ashworth said. “You got to give them (Wolf Pack) credit for the way they answered. Basketball is a game of runs, and I felt like we had some opportunities. Half the battle is being able to answer those runs that teams go on. In those last eight minutes, we weren’t the more connected, more physical, more disciplined team.”

USU knew how potent Nevada could be. The Wolf Pack used a 25-0 run recently against San Jose State.

“We wanted to play physical without fouling,” Odom said. “We played physical down the stretch, but we were fouling. If they didn’t score a basket, they were at the free throw line.”

With the win, the Wolf Pack remained perfect at home this season at 9-0 and bounced back nicely from their first conference loss last Tuesday at San Diego State.

“We take pride in being a disciplined team, an experienced team,” Ashworth said. “Unfortunately tonight, we feel like we let ourselves down. We are already pointing to things we can fix before Tuesday comes.”

Ashworth was joined in double-figure scoring by Funk (13), Trevin Dorius (11), Sean Bairstow (11) and Max Shulga (11). Funk grabbed a game-best nine rebounds, while Dan Akin had seven. Shulga had a game-high six assists.

Dorius fouled out with 7:43 to play and had been a big spark for USU in both halves.

“Trevin played really well,” Odom said. “Trevin is getting better. This was a big-boy game. They started getting really physical and did a good job of being physical without fouling, and we didn’t respond as well as we needed to. We just didn’t execute.”

Nevada’s leading scorer – Jarod Lucas – joined Blackshear and Baker in the 20-point club with 21 and gave the Aggies fits at times with buckets at the end of the shot clock under heavy pressure.

The Wolf Pack shot 55.4 percent from the field for the game, which is a season high for an Aggie opponent.

“This is a tough team we just played,” Odom said. “It’s hard to beat them here.”

After giving up a 3-pointer to start the game, the Aggies reeled off 11 unanswered points. Shulga had five of the points and assisted on two other buckets, including a pass to Ashworth for a trey to cap the start four minutes into the game.

Buckets were hard to come back midway through the opening half as the hosts clawed back to within 19-16 with 10:31 left before halftime.

The Wolf Pack scored six straight as part of a 11-3 surge to take a 31-28 lead with 4:58 left in the first half. Lucas started to heat up, drilling a pair from beyond the arc at the end of the shot clock and with a hand in his face.

After four lead changes and a tie, USU went on a 7-0 run to get back in front for the rest of the half. Funk drilled a 3-point bomb from way outside to spark the run. Dorius sank two free throws, and Ashworth found Bairstow for a bucket in the paint.

USU extended its lead to seven in the closing minute, but Nevada scored just before the break. The Aggies took a 42-37 lead into halftime.

Dorius came out strong to start the second half with four quick points and a pair of rebounds, but he also picked up his fourth foul just two minutes in and had to sit. When he did come back, the 7-foot-1 center didn’t last long.

In a game that featured 10 lead changes and five ties, the final score sure didn’t reflect that.

“Just about everything that could have gone wrong went wrong in the last eight minutes with loose balls and missed timing with fouls,” Ashworth said. “When that happens, we need to keep our composure and be a little more disciplined down the stretch.”

USU led for nearly 25 minutes of the game.

“It was a tough loss for us,” Odom said.

TIP-INS

Utah State went into the game with a KenPom ranking of 39, while Nevada was at 59. … The Aggies won the battle of the boards for the 14th time this season, 33-31, but fell to 12-2 in those games. … USU lost for just the second time this season when leading at halftime, falling to 11-2. ... The Aggie bench outscored its counterparts, 9-8, for the 15th time this season but fell to 13-2 in those games. … USU has had at least five players score in double figures in seven games this season. … The Aggies still lead the all-time series with the Wolf Pack, 40-25.

DUNK COUNT

There were just two Friday night and both by Trevin Dorius as he had one in each half.

Season leaders are: Dan Akin 21, Dorius 14, Sean Bairstow 10, Taylor Funk 7, Zee Hamoda 3 and Szymon Zapala 1.

GAME BALL

Trevin Dorius gets the nod, despite fouling out after 14 minutes of action. The big man showed some fire and energy early and to start the second half. He was hit with a couple of ticky-tack fouls. The senior finished with 11 points on 3 of 6 shooting from the field and 5 of 6 from the foul line. The 7-footer also grabbed five rebounds, blocked two shots and came up with a steal.

UP NEXT

After playing three of their last four MW games on the road, the Aggies are home for two in a row next week. They host UNLV (12-4, 1-3) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Rebels host Colorado State on Saturday and have lost four of their last six games, but one of those wins was against previously unbeaten New Mexico at Albuquerqu