SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Seneca Knight scored a career-high 28 points, Sam Japhet-Mathias made two free throws with 13.9 seconds left and San Jose State held on to knock Nevada out of the Mountain West Conference unbeaten ranks 70-68 Wednesday night.
It was the first time San Jose State (6-11, 2-3) has defeated Nevada (10-6, 3-1) since Feb. 18, 2014.
Knight made three of his four 3-pointers in the second half, including two that helped kick off a pivotal 14-0 run. Coming out of halftime at 34-34, there were four ties in the second half and neither team could break away, Nevada went up 55-48 on a Johncarlos Reyes basket with 10:33 remaining. Christian Anigwe started a 14-0 run, Knight drained a pair of 3-pointers and the Spartans swung from trailing by seven to leading by seven over a six-minute span.
Jazz Johnson and Zane Meeks hit 3-pointers that helped Nevada fight into a 66-66 tie with under a minute to go. San Jose State’s Omari Moore blocked a potential go-ahead 3 out at the top of the arc with 14 seconds left, and Japhet-Mathias, who scored all four points at the foul line, made a pair for a 69-66 lead.
It was just enough for the Spartans to survive a pair of free throws by Johnson with a second on the clock.
Jalen Harris led Nevada with 20 points, scoring in double figures for the 12th straight game.
