Malik Story had a career-high 34 points and hit all six of his 3-point attempts, helping Nevada beat Fresno State 90-80 in the first round of the WAC tournament on Wednesday.
Nevada (13-18), the No. 6 seed, built a 19-point lead in the first half before allowing the Bulldogs (14-17) to chip away in the closing minutes. The Wolfpack sealed it with six free throws in the closing minute, earning a spot in the quarterfinals against No. 3 seed New Mexico State on Thursday.
Deonte Burton added 20 points and Dario Hunt 12 for Nevada, which hit 12 3-pointers.
The seventh-seeded Bulldogs, who'll be joining Nevada in the Mountain West Conference in 2012, couldn't stop Story and didn't shoot well until the closing minutes to see their late-developing rally fall short.
Greg Smith had 14 points and 20 rebounds, and Tim Steed added 20 points for Fresno State.
