The Nevada Wolfpack improved to 21-1 this week and moved up two spots with the #6 overall ranking in the latest AP Poll for mens college basketball.
With both Michigan (20-2) and Michigan State (18-4) losing this week, Nevada jumped from #8 to #6 overall. Nevada started the season ranked #7 in the preseason polls. That was the highest ranking in school history before this week.
AP TOP 10
1. Tennessee 20-1
2. Duke 19-2
3. Virginia 20-1
4. Gonzaga 21-2
5. Kentucky 18-3
6. Nevada 21-1
7. Michigan 20-2
8. North Carolina 17-4
9. Michigan State 18-4
10. Marquette 19-3
The Martin twins, Caleb and Cody, combined for 51 points in a recent blowout against Boise State. Caleb, a 6-foot-7 forward leads the team with 19.0 points per game. Cody, also a 6-foot-7 forward, is third in scoring for the Wolfpack averaging 11.3 points and 5.4 assists per game. The Martin twins combine for 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 83 assist per game.
21-1
After starting the season 14-0, Nevada lost only one game this season. They were throttled by New Mexico 85-58. Since then they won seven-straight games. Nevada beat Arizona State earlier in the season when they were ranked #20. That’s their only notable win of the season.
The top five in the AP Poll are occupied by top-ranked Tennessee, Duke, Virginia, Gonzaga, and Kentucky. Only Tennessee and Virginia have a solo loss this season. With an 18-3 record, Kentucky is holding down #5.
The only school with one loss ranked lower than Nevada are the #12 Houston Cougars (21-1). The Cougars were ranked #13 last week, but slowly crawling their way toward the Top 10.
Musselman 100
Nevada head coach Eric Musselman won his 100th career game over the weekend. He is now 100-30 as a head coach in the NCAA. Musselman previously coached in the NBA and struggled with a 108-138 record in three seasons. He coached the Golden State Warriors in 2002-04, when they were really bad before they drafted Steph Curry. He also coached the Sacramento Kings for a season in 2006-07.
Musselman’s first coaching gig happened in the old CBA. In the early 1990s, he amassed a 270-122 record with the Rapid City Thrillers. Only the legendary George Karl won more games coaching in the CBA than Musselman.
After his stint in the NBA, Musselman coached in the NBA’s Developmental League for the Reno Bighorns and Los Angeles D-Fenders. Overall, he finished with a 77-30 record in the D-League.
In 2015, the Nevada Wolfpack hired Musselman. In his first season as a collegiate coach, he went 24-14. He won 28 games in his second season and won the Mountain West conference. Last season, Nevada won the Mountain West for a second year in a row. They went 29-8 and entered March Madness with the #7 seed. Musselman guided the Wolfpack to two come-from-behind victories as they advanced to the Sweet 16.
In Mountain West conference over the last four seasons, Nevada is 45-16 under Musselman.
On Deck: Nevada
Nevada is eying a spot in the Top 5, but it’s very crowded at the top. Two of the premier teams from the ACC square off this weekend with Virginia and Duke battling each other. If #2 Duke wins, how far will #3 Virginia slip?
This week, Nevada heads to Fort Collins to take on Colorado State. They destroyed Colorado State by 40 points last weekend. They also have a rematch against New Mexico (9-12) and host the Lobos on Saturday. That’s a revenge game Musselman wants to win badly. Caleb Martin is averaging 28 points over his last two games, but he scored a season-low 8 points on a horrible 2-for-14 shooting night.
