Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility

Nevada's Steve Alford believes his team's confidence is at an all-time high


Steve Alford and the Wolf Pack have won four straight games. (Byrne Photo/Nevada athletics)
Steve Alford and the Wolf Pack have won four straight games. (Byrne Photo/Nevada athletics)
Facebook Share IconTwitter Share IconEmail Share Icon

If Nevada ends up going on a deep run this postseason, Steve Alford will look back at last week's UNLV game as the turning point in the Wolf Pack's season.

Nevada entered the game in Sin City a disappointing 1-7 on the road. But it fended off the rival Rebels for an overtime victory and followed that with a win at New Mexico to extend its win streak to four games, one shy of its season best.

"Getting that road win at UNLV gave our guys an extra dose of confidence," Alford said Friday on NSN Daily. "We've been close. We lost one-possession at San Jose in a game we didn't play very well, which was really our first road game because Air Force was so early in the season. We go to Colorado State, a game we should have won if we just defended a little bit. We didn't defend very well and lose on a last-second shot. Getting over that hump and having to go to overtime in a game we played really well against UNLV, I think that gave us some momentum. We've been playing very well at home and have to finish that. I think that UNLV game gave our guys a little bit more, 'Hey, we can do this on the road,' and we saw that at New Mexico because we played great there."

Nevada, which hosts Fresno State on Saturday, is playing its best basketball of the season at the right time. The Wolf Pack has just three games left in the regular season and is homing in on a bye in the Mountain West Tournament. Alford, whose team is 17-10 overall and third in the MW at 10-5, said he's pleased with his team's development this year and thinks his players' confidence is at a season high after the road wins.

In his first season at Nevada, Alford's crew hasn't had to endure a rebuilding season as it is on pace for its fifth straight 20-win campaign.

"When you come into something that's new, and a lot of these players being recruited by somebody else, a different staff, a different program, I give all the credit to the players for buying in," Alford said. "They didn't have to buy in. They bought back in early summer and worked and worked and worked."

One of the reasons Nevada has been surging is the play of Jalen Harris, who has been the MW's most productive player in conference action. The junior guard, a transfer from Louisiana Tech in his first season of eligibility, is averaging 26.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in MW action.

"Jalen has bought in from day one," Alford said. "He works extremely hard on his trade. Early in the season, I didn't think he was a very good finisher. His step-back and pull-up game was outstanding. He could guard. But his three-ball has really developed and then finishing at the rim. He's driving the ball and finishing at a much higher clip than he was in November and December, and I think that's why his point total has gone up."

Alford added he likes Harris' disposition on the court.

"I like having guys where if you make a three, let's act like you've hit a three before," Alford said. "If you dunk the ball, let's act like you've dunked the ball before. I'm not a big showman type guy because as you're doing that, the other team is going the other way. We don't get a 10-minute break after a dunk or after a three. We have to get back on defense. Hopefully that's part of our culture because that's what we want, but Jalen's bought into our culture and what he's doing, this league hasn't seen it in a while and Nevada hasn't seen it. You look at what Lindsey Drew has done with 900 (points), 600 (rebounds), 500 (assists), that's insane numbers for a career. We're very fortunate. Our guard play is very good and when you get close to March, you want your guard play to be very good, and right now ours is."

The Wolf Pack will honor its seniors Drew, Jazz Johnson, Nisré Zouzoua and Johncarlos Reyes before the team's regular-season finale Feb. 29 against No. 4-ranked San Diego State, the lone undefeated team in the nation. Alford said the buy-in of his seniors has been key to this season's success.

"I'm just so appreciative of what they're doing," Alford said. "They're working hard in the classroom. Hopefully Lindsey is on pace to graduate, Jazz is on pace to graduate, Niz is on pace to graduate. You have Johncarlos, who is a grad program who is doing well and is on pace to graduate. We need those four guys to do the job and graduate not just for us and for the start of our program, but more importantly for their future moving forward and understanding that degree. But what they've done on the court has been unbelievable, and I think we've had a lot of fun doing it.

Nevada will hold its senior day celebration after the SDSU game rather than before, a change from previous years.

"We do senior night a little different," Alford said. "We don't do it until after, so hopefully the fans will stay around and get to hear the senior talk a little bit, which that will be interesting in its own self. We'll introduce them and give the players a chance to thank the fans and people of Nevada for their careers here. It's always been a special senior night."

You can watch Alford's full segment from Friday's NSN Daily below.


Loading ...