By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press Writer
RENO, Nev. (AP) -- Nick Fazekas had 19 points and 10 rebounds as Nevada combined sharp shooting with a stingy defense to beat Rice 73-58 Wednesday night.
Kevinn Pinkney scored 17 points, Mo Charlo added 16 and Chad Bell had a career-high 12 for Nevada (19-5, 12-2 Western Athletic Conference), which shot 58 percent from the field. It was the fifth straight win and eighth in the last nine game for the first-place Wolf Pack, who are 14-0 this year when holding their opponents to 60 points or fewer.
Michael Harris scored 15 points while Jason McKrieth and Morris Almond added 14 each for the Owls (13-9, 7-6).
Nevada scored the first six points of the second half to open a 41-25 lead on Fazekas' tip-in. Rice followed with a 7-0 run capped by McKrieth's 3-pointer to pull to 41-32.
But Pinkney answered with a 3-point goal and added six more points over a three-minute span to give Nevada its biggest lead, 54-36.
McKrieth's 3-pointer pulled Rice to 67-56 with 4:10 to play, but the Owls could get no closer after that.
Fazekas, who shot 8-of-12 and blocked three shots, had three rebounds, a blocked shot and seven points in the first four minutes as Nevada jumped out to a 12-5 lead.
Rice pulled to 23-19 on Harris' jump hook with 8:48 left in the half but Charlo hit a 3-pointer to put Nevada ahead 35-25 at the half. The Wolf Pack shot 65 percent from the field the second half.
