Nevada’s run in Las Vegas ends in quarterfinals 67-59 to Colorado State

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) - Nevada’s run in the 2025 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Basketball Championship ended Thursday night as the Wolf Pack fell to Colorado State 59-67 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Despite a strong showing from Kobe Sanders and Nick Davidson, Nevada struggled offensively, particularly from beyond the arc, shooting 19.2 percent from three-point range with five makes on 26 attempts. Colorado State capitalized on a dominant second half, outscoring the Wolf Pack 38-31 to secure the victory.

First Half

The Wolf Pack came out strong defensively, limiting the Rams to just 37 percent shooting from the field in the opening period. Nevada built momentum midway through the half behind Sanders and Davidson, who combined for 19 first-half points.

Nevada kept pace with Colorado State, using a six to zero run at the 12 minute and 24 second mark to close the gap. However, the Rams’ Kyan Evans and Nique Clifford responded with timely buckets, helping Colorado State maintain a slim 29-28 lead at halftime.

While Nevada was efficient inside, scoring 18 points in the paint, the struggles from deep with two makes on 14 attempts prevented the Wolf Pack from gaining an edge.

Second Half

The Rams took control early in the second half, fueled by Clifford, who finished with a game-high 25 points and 14 rebounds. A quick eight to zero run extended Colorado State’s lead to nine, forcing Nevada to play from behind for the remainder of the game.

Sanders did his best to keep Nevada within striking distance, scoring 15 of his 23 points in the second half, including a crucial three-pointer at the one minute and 25 second mark to cut the deficit to seven. Davidson contributed a double-double with 22 points and six rebounds, but Nevada’s offense stalled in the final minutes as the Rams closed out the game from the free-throw line.

Notable Stats

Nevada converted 10 points off of Colorado State’s nine turnovers
Nevada lost the battle in the paint, only scoring 26 points to Colorado State’s 30 points.
Nevada lost the battle from the bench, scoring zero points to Colorado State’s nine.
Nevada had 3 players score 10 or more points.

Up Next

With the loss, Nevada’s Mountain West Tournament journey ends, as they now await potential postseason opportunities.