Nevada Wolf Pack basketball team hits the road

Nevada didn’t have much time to savor its big win Monday night against Rhode Island.

The Wolf Pack, 2-0, headed over the hill Tuesday for its first road game of the season as it faces Santa Clara, 1-0, today at 7 p.m.

The Broncos are coming off a 120-70 win over LaVerne.

“We are getting on the bus (Tuesday), and it’s important that we have a good day of preparation,” Nevada coach Eric Musselman said. “It will probably be a lot more mental than on the court.

“We have to take care of business. We have two road games, and those are supposed to mean more this year (to the NCAA selection committee).”

Cody Martin said this is an important business trip for the Pack.

“How we prepare mentally and physically (is key),” he said after the Rhode Island win. “We have to make sure we’re prepared.”

“We have to be pros,” Caleb Martin said. “We have to stay focused.”

Winning on the road comes down to defense and defensive rebounds. You don’t want to give up cheap baskets. Nevada has done a solid job at the defensive end, holding teams to 41 percent from the field.

“We challenge ourselves,” Cody Martin said. “We take pride in our defense. The coaches are always preaching deflections, deflections, deflections.”

Musselman said one part of preparation is identifying the go-to players, and the Broncos have a couple.

The Nevada coach said he’s especially impressed with guard K.J. Feagin, who scored 21 against LaVerne in 26 minutes.

Another key performer is 6-4 swingman Henry Caruso, a fifth-year transfer from Princeton. Caruso was an all-Ivy selection, and he scored 14 points in the Broncos’ opening game.

Another side note to the contest is the coaches. Musselman was an assistant and then associate head coach at Arizona State for Herb Sendek, now the coach at Santa Clara. Musselman departed ASU for LSU when Sendek was fired.

“He’s a good coach; great X and O guy,” Musselman said. “He really respects the coaching profession and he’s a great family man. The two years (at ASU) I was able to get my feet wet and learn the college game.”

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On Saturday, the Pack visits Pacific, and that game will also be a 7 p.m. tip.

Nevada beat the Tigers, 77-67, last season, and that game started a seven-game win streak.

Pacific returns Anthony Townes, who averaged 10.3 last season.

The Tigers dropped an 89-80 decision to Stanford, and the Tigers were led by newcomer Miles Reynolds, a transfer from Saint Louis, who scored 20 points off the bench.

Pacific also got a big game from Roberto Gallinat, a JC transfer. He scored 15 against the Cardinal.