Now
57
Thu
52
Fri
46
by Chris Murray
Jarod Lucas' banked-in 3-pointer to beat Colorado State on Tuesday night time at Moby Enviornment was one of many high photographs in program historical past. It was so good, we're doing an impromptu Monday Mailbag leftover query because of this. Reader @ChiefKeefy requested for the highest photographs in Nevada males's basketball historical past. So, let's dig into the rankings.
Let's set some parameters. First, I’ll solely embrace photographs since 2002 after I started masking native sports activities as a sophomore in school. Second, I’ll solely embrace game-winners hit within the closing 10 seconds of the sport. Third, every participant solely will get one entry on the checklist, so kind to these with a number of game-winners. With these are our necessities, right here's the checklist.
10. Grant Sherfield vs. Colorado State (2021): Sherfield hit three game-winners throughout the 2020-21 season, these beating Nebraska, Boise State and Colorado State. Sadly, this was the COVID 12 months, so there was no crowd in attendance for the game-winners towards the Broncos and Rams at Lawlor Occasions Heart. However they have been enormous photographs nonetheless. The inclusion on this checklist was a step-back 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining to sink Colorado State and deprive the Rams from successful the Mountain West title. Sherfield had missed his first seven 3-pointers that recreation earlier than arising clutch when it mattered most.
9. Deonte Burton vs. Inexperienced Bay (2012): Burton his six game-winning photographs in his closing two years at Nevada, so there are a couple of to choose from right here. We'll go together with the sport towards Inexperienced Bay within the World Imaginative and prescient Basic at Lawlor Occasions Heart as a result of that shot additionally put Burton over 1,000 factors in his profession. Nevada was trailing 69-68 when Burton nailed stepped right into a deep 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining and hitting for a 71-69 win. Burton would proceed to leap up on press row and practically smash my laptop computer, which you’ll be able to see within the video under. It was certainly one of many reminiscences moments of the Burton period.
8. Luke Babbitt at Louisiana Tech (2009): The primary McDonald's All-American to play for Nevada, huge issues have been anticipated from Babbitt, the Galena Excessive standout, and he delivered throughout his two seasons on campus. Maybe the most important shot of Babbitt's profession got here in Ruston when he hit a 3-pointer as time expired to cap a livid comeback for Nevada, which trailed the Bulldogs by as many as 15 factors within the second half. The Wolf Pack took a three-point lead late earlier than Magnum Rolle scored a layup and hit the following free throw with 16 seconds left to tie the sport. Babbitt obtained the ball on the ultimate possession and drained a 3-point shot properly past the arc. Coach Mark Fox advised me after the sport that he began strolling to the handshake line as quickly as Babbitt launched the ball as he knew it was good.
7. Kirk Snyder vs. Fresno State (2002): In simply his fifth recreation at Nevada, Snyder made his title identified. After not being eligible to play early that season as awaited phrase from the NCAA's tutorial clearinghouse, Snyder made his school debut midway by the 2001-02 season. And with three seconds left and Nevada trailing Fresno State, 85-83, Snyder launched a high-arching 3-pointer that swished by for the game-winning bucket. These have been three of Snyder's 21 factors earlier than 8,899 followers at Lawlor (I used to be within the scholar part). "It's onerous as a freshman within the school ambiance to come back in and do what I did," Snyder mentioned. "I can't imagine what I did." Added Fresno State coach Jerry Tarkanian: "God, was {that a} 30-footer? That was the shot you wish to see a man take. We had him lined. The man took a shot that was a foul shot and it went in. He's an amazing participant." Snyder's mother was in attendance and embraced her son at midcourt with a hug and tears in her eyes.
6. Marcus Marshall at Washington (2016): Nevada and Washington have performed many memorable video games over the past decade, together with three straight that have been determined by one possession (one was pushed into extra time after a late 3-pointer by Deonte Burton, certainly one of his many clutch photographs in silver and blue). Marshall got here up huge for Nevada in a non-conference recreation in 2016 when the senior guard hit an off-balance leaner attempting to attract a foul with 0.2 seconds remaining to ship the Wolf Pack to an 87-85 win in Seattle. That capped a 32-point effort from Marshall, who outplayed Huskies star Markelle Fultz, who tallied 21 factors and eight assists and was the No. 1 decide of the NBA draft.
5. Marqueze Coleman at UNLV (2015): Coleman was having a tough recreation on this Silver State showdown in 2015 and had made simply 1-of-8 photographs towards the rival Rebels with the sport tied and Nevada with possession with 13 seconds remaining. The play was designed to get the ball inside to AJ West, however Coleman used a excessive pick-and-roll and canned a 20-foot jumper simply contained in the 3-point line with 4.8 seconds left. Nevada clinched the win after a Rashad Vaughn missed 3-pointer. Coleman additionally had one other game-winner towards UNLV the next season after he hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3 seconds left. However Patrick McCaw answered with a miracle simply inside halfcourt to ship it to extra time the place the Rebels gained, 102-91.
4. Kenan Blackshear vs. New Mexico (2023): This shot stands out for 2 causes. One, it got here with the Wolf Pack trailing, so this was really do or die. Most of the photographs on this checklist have been fired off with the sport tied, so even a miss simply meant extra time. However that wasn't the case when Blackshear used a high-ball display from Jarod Lucas, who was on hearth on this recreation, and saved the ball for himself earlier than taking pictures a 14-foot fadeaway. That leads as much as the second factor that stands out in regards to the shot, that being the very fact the ball rattling close to touched virtually each a part of the rim earlier than falling by with 0.1 seconds remaining for an enormous win on the Pit. This isn’t the primary huge win on the Pit on this checklist. Blackshear additionally had a game-winner final season towards Boise State at residence, however the reality this was on the highway and a jumper fairly than a layup makes it his entry.
3. Jarod Lucas vs. Colorado State (2024): It appears loopy to place this at No. 3 on the checklist contemplating it was a banked-in 3-pointer from past halfcourt after Lucas had missed 3-of-4 free throws, which added much more of a redemptive storyline. Nevertheless it's onerous to beat the highest two on this checklist. If you wish to put Lucas' shot within the high two, I wouldn't blame you. After Nevada managed this recreation from begin till the ultimate 30 seconds, Colorado State stormed again from six down with lower than 20 seconds to play because of a Nique Clifford 3-pointer, two Isaiah Stevens buckets and people aforementioned Lucas misses, which was a shock as he’s a 90 % shooter from the road. However the Wolf Pack had one final likelihood to maintain the sport from going to extra time. After Rams coach Niko Medved known as a timeout, the Wolf Pack obtained the ball to Lucas, who had a working begin. He took two dribbles, fired away and banked the ball in earlier than speeding across the court docket pumping his jersey. He capped the celebration by bowing twice to the Rams crowd, who highway him onerous throughout the recreation.
2. Jordan Caroline vs. New Mexico (2017): Considered one of school basketball's biggest comebacks was appropriately capped by that night time's greatest hero. Nevada trailed New Mexico by 25 factors within the second half, together with a 19-point deficit with 4 minutes, 27 seconds remaining and a 14-point gap with 1:10 left. Nevada had apparently waived the white flag by placing in walk-ons John Carlson and Charlie Tooley, the latter hitting a 3 to spark the comeback. The Wolf Pack made its closing six photographs of regulation, all 3-pointers, over the ultimate 63 seconds. Three of these have been banked in, together with Marcus Marshall’s game-tying trey with 8 seconds left. Nevada scored 18 factors within the closing 63 seconds of regulation. Compelled into extra time, Nevada trailed 104-102 after Elijah Brown hit 1-of-2 free throws with 8 seconds left. After a Nevada timeout, Jordan Caroline raced up the court docket and fired a 3-pointer he thought was quick. As Caroline raced after the ball, it fell by the web with 2.9 seconds left. New Mexico couldn't reply in a 105-104 Wolf Pack win with Caroline scoring 45 factors, essentially the most for an opponent on the Pit. “I’m speechless,” Nevada coach Eric Musselman mentioned. “It’s the best recreation I’ve ever been part of.” Added Caroline: "That is my favourite recreation I’ve ever performed in by far."
1. Josh Corridor vs. Cincinnati (2018): Stakes matter, and this shot got here on the most important stage, the NCAA Event. Nevada trailed Cincinnati by 22 factors at 65-43 with 11 minutes, 34 seconds remaining. Nevada then went on a 16-0 run that took solely 2:53 off the clock to get again within the recreation. A Cody Martin three-point play with 3:53 remaining made it a one-possession recreation at 71-68 for the primary time since Cincinnati led 2-0 after the sport's first basket. Two Cane Broome free throws pushed the deficit to 5 earlier than Jordan Caroline's layup. Following a Jacob Evans missed jumper, Caleb Martin drilled a 3-pointer with 57 seconds remaining to tie the sport at 73. Evans missed one other jumper with 43 seconds left. Cody Martin grabbed the rebound as Nevada arrange a possible go-ahead basket. However Martin missed quick on a stepback jumper earlier than Corridor grabbed the offensive rebound, put down one dribble and floated a teardrop that bounced off the rim and in with 9 seconds remaining. Nevada obtained a closing cease to seal a spot within the Candy 16. "I noticed a gap and tried to place as a lot contact on it as attainable due to how shut I used to be," mentioned Corridor, including, "We're simply speechless proper now."
Columnist Chris Murray offers perception on Northern Nevada sports activities. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or comply with him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.
