Nevada women's season ends in semifinals of WBI

Nevada's dazzling run over the final few weeks of the season came to end Saturday.

Central Arkansas beat Nevada, 65-56, in a women's basketball semifinal game in the WBI tournament in Conway, Ark.

In the other WBI semifinal, Yale beat South Alabama, 76-74, in OT.

More: Nevada women relishing extended season

More: Dubai born, New Mexico raised, Teige Zeller has blossomed at Nevada

More: Amanda Levens has Wolf Pack women's basketball on the rise

The Wolf Pack started clicking as the season wound down, winning seven of its last eight. Nevada won its last two games of the regular season, then won three games in the Mountain West Conference tournament, before losing to Boise State by two in the championship. The Wolf Pack then won its first two games in the WBI.

But Central Arkansas has the second-best defense in the nation, and held the Pack to 44 percent shooting. The Sugar Bears allow 50.6 points per game.

Teige Zeller led the Wolf Pack with 17 points and T Moe added 10 Saturday.

Taylor Baudoin led the Sugar Bears with the 24 points, Kierra Jordan had 12, Antonija Bozic and Kamry Orr each added 10.

The Wolf Pack’s two postseason wins this year are the most in a single season. This is the latest into a season the Pack has ever gone.

The Wolf Pack finished the 2017-18 season with a 19-17 record, its first winning season and highest win total in four years. The Pack’s 19 wins are tied for second most in program history.

Central Arkansas improved to 25-9, the third straight season the team has won 25 games.

Amanda Levens finishes her first season as the winningest first year head coach in program history.

Zeller, a senior, passed Shavon Moore on the all-time rebounding list and finished her career in fifth. Zeller finished her career with 972 total points.

Moe, alo a senior who began her collegiate career in 2012, finished her career with 1,129 points, seventh-most all-time.

Nevada turned the ball over eight times in the game and forced the Sugar Bears into 14 turnovers.

Central Arkansas hit 17-of-23 free throws while Nevada was sent to the line just 14 times, making nine.

Nevada took just four 3-point shots in the game, making one, its lowest attempts of the season. Central Arkansas was 4-9 from 3-point range.

Central Arkansas led 27-24 at halftime and 48-43 after three quarters.

Central Arkansas outrebounded Nevada, 31-26.

Saturday’s game was the first played between Nevada and Central Arkansas in program history.

The championship game will be at 4 p.m. Thursday between Yale (18-13) and Central Arkansas (25-9) in Conway, Ark.

This is Yale's first appearance in the WBI, and the Bulldogs' first appearance in any national postseason tournament since making the WNIT in 2011.