UNR rallies to end tourney drought
Pack wins for first time in NCAAS since 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — UNR’S Caleb Martin had just missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer and didn’t feel all that disappointed. The junior forward just knew his team would finish the job in overtime.
And then he helped make it happen.
Martin shot 3 of 3 from 3-point range in overtime and finished with 18 points Friday as UNR rallied to beat Texas 87-83 for its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2007.
“We were comfortable,” Martin said. “It’s one of those things where you could tell the other team didn’t want to go into overtime with us. You could kind of feel the energy on the floor when we walked back out there. You kind of knew it was kind of in our favor.”
The Wolf Pack, seeded seventh in the South Region, advanced to a Sunday matchup with No. 2 seed Cincinnati (31-4). The Bearcats beat Georgia State 68-53.
UNR (28-7) erased a 14-point, second-half deficit and rallied again after trailing Texas by four early in an overtime session that featured combined 34 points. UNR made all six of its field-goal attempts in overtime after Texas forward Mohamed Bamba fouled out with 3.8 seconds left in regulation.
These two teams with contrasting styles provided the kind of thriller that had excitable UNR coach Bill Musselman particularly amped up. Musselman opened his postgame press conference with an apology after television cameras caught him shouting obscenities during a locker-room celebration.
“What an unbelievable game,” Musselman said.
Martin’s 3-pointer with 2:26 left in overtime gave UNR its first lead since opening the game on a 5-0 run. Texas’ Matt Coleman took a jumper that went around and out, and Martin hit another 3 that extended Nevada’s lead to 81-77 with 1:36 left.
After Coleman cut UNR’S margin to 81-79, Martin passed to twin brother Cody for a layup that made it 83-79 with 53 seconds remaining. Tenth-seeded Texas later got within two on a 3-pointer by Kerwin Roach II with 15.5 seconds left, but that’s as close as the Longhorns got.
Roach had a career-high 26 points for Texas (19-15) and shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Coleman had a career-best 25 points.
Caleb Martin also had 10 rebounds and five assists. Cody Martin had 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. UNR’S Kendall Stephens had a team-high 22 points.
This was the kind of moment that brought the Martins to UNR after the 6-foot-7 twins decided to transfer from North Carolina State.
“This is what we came here to do,” Cody Martin said. “This is what we wanted to do all year. When we got here, I knew we had something special with this team.”
They sure produced a special comeback.
No. 2 Cincinnati 68, No. 15 Georgia State 53 —
At Nashville, Tenn., Jarron Cumberland set career highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds as Cincinnati recovered after blowing a 10-point lead in the second half. Cincinnati (31-4) won its eighth game in a row and advanced to a Sunday matchup against UNR.
After trailing 42-32 early in the second half, Georgia State (24-11) rallied to take a pair of one-point leads, its last one coming on a driving bank shot from D’marcus Simonds with 9:30 remaining.
Cincinnati answered by reeling off 10 straight points as part of a 17-2 run.
No. 9 Kansas State 69, No. 8 Creighton 59 —
At Charlotte, Barry Brown scored 18 points and helped Kansas State’s defense stymie Marcus Foster and Creighton’s high-powered offense in a wire-towire victory.
Kansas State (23-11) advanced to face University of Maryland, Baltimore County, which shocked No. 1 seed Virginia.
Creighton came into the game ranked 10th in scoring in Division I at 84.3 points per game, but its 59 points tied a season low.