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The Lopes let a road upset slip away in the thin Reno air, falling 66–60 in overtime to Nevada on Tuesday night despite controlling most of the second half.
Game flow
GCU led 52–43 with under five minutes left and still held a 53–47 edge with 1:03 remaining in regulation. Nevada answered with a late three-pointer and then capitalized on missed free throws and a turnover to force overtime at 53–53. In the extra period, the Lopes briefly took the lead twice before going scoreless on five straight trips as the Wolf Pack closed on an 8–2 burst.
Defense and shot-making
Both defenses dictated the night, holding each other below 41 percent from the field. GCU finished at 40 percent overall, while Nevada managed just 33 percent in a grind-it-out, half-court game. The Lopes’ resistance showed in limiting the Wolf Pack to 7-of-17 from three, but Nevada’s 17-for-26 mark at the line and 41–2 advantage in bench points ultimately swung the math.
The good news for the Lopes in an overall bad situation in Reno was the continued emergence of Nana Owusu-Anane. In last night’s loss, he tallied 4 total blocks, 2 steals, and 7 points. The mid-range game for Nana has never been something he has been confident in, but when he was going inside last night, it looked smooth. Look for Nana to continue to find opportunities down low until the 3-point shot starts going down.
Shorthanded Lopes, altitude factor
Already battling injuries, GCU played without key guards Brian Moore Jr. and Caleb Shaw, shrinking an already tight rotation. Dusty Stromer and Jaden Henley essentially went the distance—each sitting for only a single minute—while Makaih Williams rested for barely more than 90 seconds. As the game moved into the final minutes and then overtime at 4,500-plus feet, the fatigue showed in short jumpers, missed free throws and late-clock possessions that lacked the same sharpness GCU had earlier in the night.
Henley’s huge line, mixed efficiency for Lopes
Henley delivered another monster box score with 16 points and a career‑high 13 rebounds, securing back-to-back double-doubles for the senior guard. But it came on just 26 percent shooting from the floor, a reflection of how often he had to manufacture offense against a set Nevada defense while carrying such a heavy minutes load. His late trips to the foul line framed the heartbreak: he pushed the lead to 53–47 with 1:03 left, then saw the Wolf Pack extend the game after he split free throws and Nevada answered with timely threes on the other end.
Boise State comes to Phoenix next
There is little time to dwell on the collapse with a surging Boise State squad visiting Phoenix on Friday. The Broncos ride a four-game winning streak, including an 89–58 demolition of San Jose State in which they shot nearly 59 percent and outscored the Spartans 56–24 in the paint. Boise State has won its last three by nearly 30 points per game, bringing a confident, physical group into GCU Arena for the rematch as the Lopes look to regroup, get healthier and prove they can close out high-level games.
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