Nevada Women’s Basketball Falls to Portland in Nugget Classic Finale
The Nevada women’s basketball team wrapped up their participation in the Nugget Classic on Sunday with a tough 88-72 loss to the Portland Pilots. Despite a strong start and bursts of offensive intensity throughout the game, the Pack couldn’t quite overcome a considerable deficit.
Early Intensity and a Shifting Momentum
Both teams emerged from the gate with palpable energy, trading baskets in the opening moments. Portland struck first, but Nevada quickly answered, seizing the lead with a series of strong plays. Audrey Roden ignited the offense, draining a three-pointer followed by a smooth pull-up jumper from Izzy Sullivan.
However, Portland’s momentum shifted mid-quarter, and they pulled ahead, leaving Nevada trailing 26-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Roden Rallies, But Pilots Maintain the Lead
Roden continued her scoring prowess in the second quarter, knocking down a jumper to open the scoring for Nevada. By halftime, she had already racked up 11 of the Pack’s points, shooting an impressive 50 percent from beyond the arc. Despite Roden’s strong performance, Nevada trailed 42-25 as they headed into the locker room.
Third Quarter Comeback Attempt
The third quarter saw Nevada mount a comeback effort. They chipped away at Portland’s lead, whittling down a 17-point deficit to just nine points with under two minutes left in the quarter. Sullivan found her rhythm from deep, burying two crucial three-pointers, while the Pack capitalized on opportunities at the free throw line.
Portland responded with a few more baskets before the buzzer, extending their lead to 60-48 heading into the final quarter.
Battling to the Final Buzzer
Nevada continued to battle in the fourth quarter, determined to close the gap. They managed to score 24 points in the final frame, showcasing their offensive capabilities. But Portland’s offensive output proved too much to overcome, and ultimately, the Pilots secured the win.
Individual Standouts
Victoria Davis led the Nevada scoring with 14 points, while Roden finished the game with a season-high 13, fueled by her hot shooting early on. Lexie Givens was a force on the boards, pulling down eight rebounds while also contributing 10 points.
Looking Ahead
The Pack will now turn their attention to their upcoming road game against Pepperdine, scheduled for Friday at 6 PM.
What adjustments, if any, does the coach plan to make to the team’s offensive strategy following the loss?
## Post-Game Interview: Nevada’s Tough Loss to Portland
**Interviewer:** Welcome back, Coach. Tough loss against Portland today. What were your takeaways from the game?
**Coach:** Thanks for having me. Yeah, it was a frustrating loss. We came out strong, showed a lot of energy, and took an early lead. Audrey and Izzy were hitting shots, and the energy was really good in the first part of that first quarter. Unfortunately, Portland was able to change the momentum, and we struggled to get it back after that. [[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/2024/12/01/portland-nevada-preview/bc53ec74-afc0-11ef-b98c-b3bed6509e98_story.html)]
**Interviewer:** They are indeed a high-scoring team. They average around 80 points per game – did you see anything in their play that particularly surprised you?
**Coach:** No real surprises. We knew coming in they were a high-scoring team, they have a lot of different weapons. They shoot a little lower from the field than we generally allow opponents, but they still managed to make shots when they needed to. What hurt us most was our inability to consistently execute our offense. We had our moments, but we weren’t consistent enough to keep pace with them.
**Interviewer:** Looking ahead, what are you focused on as a team after this loss?
**Coach:** We’ve got to get back to basics – focus on our defensive principles, improving our ball movement offensively, and most importantly, being more consistent throughout the game. We showed flashes of what we’re capable of, but we need to put together a full 40 minutes of good basketball.
