Nevada holds on to No. 10 in AP poll despite loss to Utah State

Monday, March 5, 2007 | 10:38 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Nevada came of a banner weekend with more good news. The Wolf Pack held on to the No. 10 spot in The Associated Press Top 25 despite a road loss in overtime to Utah State.

The Pack ended its regular season with a home win over New Mexico State on Saturday, one day before Nick Fazekas was named the Western Athletic Conference's basketball player of the year for a third straight season.

Nevada (27-3, 14-2 in the WAC) opens conference tournament play Thursday in Las Cruces, N.M. when it takes on either San Jose State or Idaho at 11 a.m.

In a first for the state, both of its college teams are in the Top 25. UNLV's berth in last spot marks the first time the Runnin' Rebels (25-6, 12-4 in the Mountain West Conference) have reached the Top 25 since the final poll of the 1992-93 season.

UNLV became the 48th school to be ranked this season, tying the all-time record also set in 1992-93.

Fazekas joins Utah's Keith Van Horn (1995-97) as the only three-time winners in WAC history.

The league's other top honor went to Nevada coach Mark Fox, who was voted the Don Haskins Coach of the Year Award, becoming the first WAC coach to win it three years in a row.

The Wolf Pack's Marcelus Kemp earned first team All-WAC honors with Fazekas and Ramon Sessions was named to the second team. Senior Kyle Shiloh earned all-defensive team honors. It was only the second time since 2001 that one team landed two players on the first team, matching UTEP after the 2004-05 season.

"It's hard to get them all there on the first team," Fox said. "I'm just real pleased these kids have been recognized. They have all had very good seasons for us."

Nevada won its fourth WAC regular season title this season.