By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Basketball Beat Reporter
Photo via Titus Wilkinson of The Spear
Omari Moore led SJSU to a stunning 81-77 overtime victory over Nevada to clinch the program’s first Mountain West Tournament win. Moore finished with a 26-point, 10-assist double-double as SJSU will advance to face San Diego State in the conference tournament semi-finals.
“Nobody on this team feels like we’ve played our best basketball yet,” said Moore, the 2022-23 Mountain West Player of the Year. The win clinches SJSU’s second 20-win season since of all time and first since 1981.
Sage Tolbert, who finished with 20 points, duck tailed Moore by saying, “Why stop? I don’t plan on losing anytime soon.” The Spartans are two wins away from its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996 and fourth all-time.
Nevada’s Jarod Lucas, who finished with 28 points, helped the Wolf Pack storm back from a 10-point second half deficit and sunk a key shot to tie the game at 65 with 20 seconds left.
Moore had an opportunity to win it on the ensuing possession, but missed an uncontested three. The Spartans finished 6-for-25 (24%) from beyond the arc.
SJSU built a 74-67 lead in overtime on a 7-0 run, compiled of a jumper from Alvaro Cardenas, a three-pointer from Moore and a pair of free throws from Cardenas.
“We are not done yet,” said SJSU head coach Tim Miles, who’s the 2022-23 Mountain West Coach of the Year.
“If you’re going to be greedy in anything in life, be greedy in winning.”
The Spartans were 8-23 with one conference win a year ago and suffered five-straight single-digit win seasons heading into this now historic campaign.
Tomorrow’s semi-final will kick off at 6:30 and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
S-J-S-U! San Jose State! 2 wins from the Madness #AllSpartans