BOX SCORE

Nick Fazekas had 24 points, and Ramon Sessions scored all 20 of his in the second half to lead No. 24 Nevada to an 82-74 victory over Gonzaga today at the Battle in Seattle presented by Great Floors, the Bulldogs’ first three-game losing streak in six years and the first Gonzaga loss in the four year history of the Seattle event.

Sessions hit an improbable, leaning 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer with 1:20 remaining that put Nevada up 70-67. The Wolfpack trailed by as many as 14 points late in the first half in the game played at KeyArena.

Marcellus Kemp, a Seattle native, added 21 points for the Wolfpack (12-1), who are to their best start in 55 years. Gonzaga (9-5) has lost three consecutive games for the first time since December 2000.

The Bulldogs took advantage of Fazekas, a preseason All-America, fouling out with 5 minutes remaining to take a 67-61 lead on Josh Heytvelt’s putback. But Kemp’s runner in the lane tied it at 67 with 2 minutes left and Sessions followed with his acrobatic 3-pointer.

When Denis Ikovlev was left open for another 3 with 48 seconds left, Nevada led 73-67. The Wolfpack cruised — with four free throws from Sessions — from there.

It was the first time the schools met since Nevada upset second-seeded Gonzaga on the same court in the second round of the 2004 NCAA tournament.

Jeremy Pargo scored 18 points for Gonzaga and Derek Raivio added 15.

Fazekas, who entered the game averaging 20.7 points per game, picked up his fourth foul on a charge with 10:13 remaining. Nevada coach Mark Fox tried to substitute for him, but Fazekas’ replacement watched from the scorer’s table as Fazekas made consecutive baskets inside while play continued without a whistle. That stroke of luck gave the Wolfpack their largest lead, 58-50.

When Fazekas, who also had a game-high nine rebounds, finally departed, Gonzaga went on a 9-1 run to tie the game at 59. Fazekas returned after two minutes, with 7:15 left. With 5:15 to go, he let Pargo drive by him in the lane but then kept his arm extended. Pargo ran through it on his way to a layup and foul play that disqualified Fazekas and put Gonzaga up 63-61.

Nevada made six of its first eight shots after halftime to take its first lead, 33-32 then went ahead on 45-43 on Fazekas’ hook shoot in the lane with 14 minutes to go. Sessions then scored consecutive baskets in the lane to increase the Wolfpack’s lead to 54-48 with 11 minutes left — just before Fazekas’ foul trouble seemingly doomed him and Nevada.

Sessions ensured it did not.

Gonzaga led 32-18 with 31/2 minutes left in the opening half, largely because Nevada missed 15 of its first 20 shots. Kemp was 0-for-6 before he scored 15 minutes in.

But then Fazekas made his first two 3-pointers — after a 2-for-7 start from the field. That sparked an 11-0 run for the Wolfpack over the final 3:22 of the half, which ended with Gonzaga leading 32-29 but Nevada with the game’s momentum.

Northwest Sports & Entertainment Promoter John A. Hines announced record attendance of 15,110, with KeyArena capacity was about 17,700. The previous largest regular-season crowd in Seattle history was 14,252 at the Seattle Center Coliseum for a Feb. 12, 1967 game between Seattle University and Texas Western the year after the Miners won the NCAA title.

Said Few, “The atmosphere was terrific. “