nevada basketball ripped through Air Force on Wednesday afternoon, booking a spot in the quarterfinal of the 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Basketball Championship. No. 5 Nevada cruised past No. 12 Air Force, 80-45, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, holding the Falcons to less than 50 points. The result put the Wolf Pack into Thursday’s quarterfinal against No. 4 Grand Canyon, with a tournament-record 35-point margin that stood out as the largest in Mountain West tournament history as of Wednesday afternoon (ET).
Record margin, immediate control from the opening tip
Nevada seized the game early, building a 39-10 halftime lead after opening on a 13-0 run and later stacking a 16-0 spurt. Air Force managed just 10 points in the first 20 minutes, a new low for points scored in a half in Mountain West tournament play. The Wolf Pack kept the pressure on throughout, and even with liberal substitution in the second half, Nevada won the final 20 minutes, 41-35, to close out the 80-45 win.
The dominance was also reflected in the breadth of Nevada’s scoring. Corey Camper Jr. led the Wolf Pack with 11 points, adding five rebounds and two assists. Twelve Nevada players got on the scoresheet, and nine reached at least five points—something no team had done before in Mountain West tournament history.
Statistically, Nevada shot 26-of-57 from the field (45. 6 percent), went 5-of-20 from three, and converted 23-of-30 at the free-throw line. Air Force finished 16-of-57 (28. 1 percent), hit 2-of-22 from three, and went a perfect 11-of-11 at the line. Kam Sanders scored a game-high 12 points for Air Force.
Reactions: Alford praises execution; players highlight depth and energy
Nevada head coach Steve Alford said the Wolf Pack’s discipline was the story.
“I thought something was outstanding: The guys followed the scouting report and they listened, ” Alford said. “We made some minor adjustments from game two and they just executed well. We shot the ball well because we got good shots. ”
Alford also pointed to how Nevada handled the second half with a big lead.
“So at halftime when you’re up 29, then it’s about maturity level. How is your approach going to be, especially in the first ten minutes of that second half? I thought it was outstanding, ” he said.
Camper Jr. emphasized the benefit of a deep rotation in a tournament setting.
“When all 14 guys can get out on the court and give us great energy, great playing time, it’s always great, ” Camper Jr. said.
Moments late in the game also underscored the team’s bench energy. Freshman forward Christopher Baudreau entered with around three minutes to go and drew a loud reaction from teammates. Guard Elijah Price, who also had two of Nevada’s six blocks, joked afterward: “I told coach, ‘Bird has got to fly. You’ve got to let the bird fly. ’ No, Chris is our guy. He works super hard in practice every day and he’s there for everybody when we don’t have great practices and games, so we love him. ”
Quick context: A first-round blowout sets up a marquee quarterfinal
The win sends No. 5 Nevada into Thursday’s quarterfinal against No. 4 Grand Canyon, which will be the Lopes’ Mountain West tournament debut after joining the league before the season. Nevada and Grand Canyon met once this season in Reno, where the Wolf Pack won 66-60 in overtime.
What’s next: Quarterfinal vs. Grand Canyon on Thursday
Nevada will face Grand Canyon on Thursday in the conference quarterfinal, and Alford made clear his team expects a difficult matchup. “That game back in Reno was fun. It was exciting. Bryce (Drew) and I are dear friends, ” Alford said. “They have played extremely well. They’re well-coached, and they’re a very hard team to play against, and we know that. ”
Now the spotlight shifts quickly: after a record-setting first-round performance, nevada basketball heads into Thursday needing the same sharp start, the same defensive edge, and the same bench-driven energy—this time against a higher seed with everything to prove in its tournament debut.
