Nevada Wolf Pack notebook: Hall, Cooke score few points but make big plays

RENO — Josh Hall and Hallice Cooke only scored three points between them, but the duo made some big plays down the stretch to help Nevada hold off Boise State, 74-68, Saturday at Lawlor Events Center.

Cooke, the Iowa State transfer, played 29 minutes and scored two points but pulled down a season-best seven rebounds.

Hall played 14 minutes and finished with four rebounds and a single free throw

Cooke tied up a Boise State player with 1:27 left and Nevada holding on to a 68-67 lead. Hall came up with a defensive rebound in traffic with 31 seconds left was fouled, and then made a free throw to make it 70-67 with 29 seconds left.

Cooke made another big play when he knocked the ball off Alex Hobbs’ legs for a turnover with 16 seconds left, and then he put the game on ice with two free throws.

CODY GETS IN

Cody Martin (Achilles strain) didn’t start the game, but he entered the contest with 14:20 left in the opening half. He had three rebounds, two assists and two steals in his first-half stint.

He finished with four points, three assists, three rebounds in 21 minutes before fouling out.

“He tried to get through practice Monday and had a little pain,” Musselman said. “We always shoot when we get to the next city. I wasn’t there because I went to watch my son’s high school game, and I got texts saying his foot was sore just from shooting. I didn’t want to play him against San Jose State.

“I was going to call his name some time in the first half. He told me it had tightened up a little. We’ll rest and see how it feels.”

TEN MAGIC NUMBER FOR BSU

The Broncos entered the Mountain West Conference season with a 10-2 record. This is the seventh time the Broncos have won 10-plus games during the non-conference season, and the fifth time under coach Leon Rice.

BY THE NUMBERS

Entering the game, Nevada’s RPI sat at 19 with a strength of schedule of 78 … The latest ESPN Bracketology has Nevada as a No. 8 seed playing Butler in the first round in Detroit ... Saturday’s attendance of 11,164 was the largest crowd of the season and ranks 11th in school history … Jordan Caroline recorded his eighth double-double of the season and the 22nd of his career that is tied for the 10th most in school history. Nevada is 21-1 when Caroline posts a double-double … Nevada has had a 20-point scorer in 18 of the 21 games, and this was the 10th game that two Nevada players, Caroline (22) and Caleb Martin (28) eclipsed the 20-point mark.