SDSU at Nevada

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nev

On the air: CBS Sports Network/760-AM

Records: SDSU is 12-5 (5-3), Nevada is 11-8 (3-5)

Series history: SDSU leads 26-8 and is 21-5 since both have been in the Mountain West. Nevada holds a 6-5 edge at the Lawlor Events Center, including 70-66 (OT) and 75-66 wins there the previous two years.

Aztecs update: They salvaged a 77-76 victory at Air Force on Wayne McKinney III’s buzzer-beater in overtime, but it still amounted to a “bad” win on their NCAA Tournament resume, costing them five spots in the Kenpom metric to 46th and dropping them to 48th in the NET. That’s smack on the bubble. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, in his most recent projected bracket, lowered SDSU to among his last four teams in that head to the First Four in Dayton for a play-in game. Two weeks ago, the Aztecs were 31st in both major metrics and safely in the NCAA Tournament as a 9 seed. “You can get caught up in metrics and, oh, we have to win this game or the season’s over,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “You can’t do that. The job of coaches is to get their team better, then the rest will take care of itself.” The Aztecs are 2-6 in their last eight games above 4,500 feet (Lawlor Events Center sits at 4,573), with both wins at Air Force. A big focus will be on not fouling so much after committing 55 in the last two games. Air Force was already in the bonus with 10:47 left in the first half and 10:05 in the second. Another issue: The Aztecs are shooting just 29.6% from 3 in conference games, worst in the Mountain West. No one else is below 34%. Kenpom projects a 65-64 Nevada win.

Wolf Pack update: In many ways, it’s been a disappointing season after opening conference 0-4, falling out of NCAA Tournament contention for a program that has gone the previous two years. The Wolf Pack, picked to finish third in the preseason media poll (one spot ahead of SDSU), righted the ship with three straight wins against the bottom of the Mountain West (Fresno State, Air Force and San Jose State) before getting blown out 90-69 at Utah State on Wednesday to give it five conference losses, the same as all of last season. Overall, the Wolf Pack is 5-7 following a 6-1 start. Junior forward Nick Davidson (15.8 points, 6.8 rebounds) is the leading scorer and rebounder. Cal Poly transfer (and Christian High alum) Kobe Sanders is averaging 14.6 points but is shooting only 38.3% in conference games. Defensive specialist Tre Coleman, who had the key basket against SDSU last year at Lawlor Events Center, averages 9.1 points. Sharpshooter Xavier DuSell (46.7% on 3s) is at his third Mountain West program (he also played at Wyoming and Fresno State). The Wolf Pack ranks seventh nationally in Division I experience at 3.1 years (SDSU is 223rd at 1.54), starting a fourth-year junior, three fifth-year seniors and a sixth-year senior. They opened at 32nd when the NET was released on Dec. 1 and have since fallen to 73rd.