Notes

  • Nevada was picked to win the Western Athletic Conference in a vote of both coaches and media members. Kirk Snyder was preseason pick for player of the year.
  • Fifth-year coach Trent Johnson is 58-68 at Nevada.
  • Entering this two-day event, Nevada had defeated Vermont, Weber State and UNLV and lost to UConn, Portland and Pacific. UConn beat Nevada, 93-79, Nov. 19 in the Preseason NIT.
  • Rumor has it former Kansas player Jerod Haase, KU’s former standout guard from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., will attend tonight’s game. Haase, an assistant coach for North Carolina, will be returning home for holiday break and might make it back in time for the game.
  • KU leads the all-time series with Nevada, 3-0. KU won the last meeting, 91-73, in 1980.
  • Chad Bell, a 6-11 center from Inglewood, Calif., is sitting out the season after transferring from New Mexico.
  • Kevin Pinkney hit 11 of 12 shots against Weber State. He had 25 in that game.