With the college basketball season less than three weeks away, the Nevada Wolf Pack will look to their four returning players to rebound after a mediocre season that saw them finish 17-16 and 8-12 in the Mountain West.
One of those returning players is Tyler Rolison. The junior point guard from Los Angeles said he has experienced a different perspective from the coaches this season.
“I believe you’re going to see a completely different team than last year,” said Rolison. “Last year, we kind of let the games slip by us. The coaches really emphasize to us how you got to be the next man up and to know your role. In order for the team to be successful, everybody’s got to do their part and holding each other accountable.”
Last season, Rolison got some solid minutes during his sophomore year. The 6-foot point guard averaged 7.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He shot 44.9% from the field, including 31% from 3. Rolison stated that he fell in love with basketball because of his parents.
“Originally, I wanted to play football, but my mom and my pops told me to try another sport because I was a little bit on the small side,” said Rolison. “They decided to enroll me at a basketball camp when I was in fifth grade, and I got good at it.”
After achieving offers from USC, Xavier, Washington, San Diego State and LMU, Rolison committed to play for the Wolf Pack. Rolison wanted to play for the Wolf Pack because of the coaches and the environment of the area.
“After I took my visit, I just fell in love with the campus, and the coaches were very supportive,” said Rolison. “It’s definitely different than L.A. The weather is a bit colder, but it’s fine. Coach Alford called me and asked if I wanted to take a visit to Nevada and check out the campus. I went and saw the campus, and I told my parents I was going to commit to Nevada. They supported my decision, and I thank God I chose the best thing for me.”
During the offseason, Nevada took a trip to the Bahamas, the program’s first international trip since its trip to Costa Rica in 2017-18. The NCAA has specific rules allowing teams to take an international trip once every four years, making the Bahamas trip the first trip under head coach Steve Alford.
“It was definitely fun,” said Rolison. “I feel like we really bonded as a team when we went to the Bahamas. The coaches really made it clear to us that it was a business trip, and it’s important to get extra practices because we have nine new guys on the roster. It’s important that the new guys kind of understand the culture we’re bringing and getting used to putting in the work.”
One of the most overlooked aspects of the basketball game is defense. Last season, Nevada ranked ninth out of 11 schools in scoring defense (28.8 points per game) and seventh in total defense (391.5 points per game). Rolison said that, even though he likes to play fast, he wants to work on his defense.
“Personally, I was really working on my defense,” said Rolison. “Sometimes when I play fast, I’ll get fouls called on me. I was working a lot during the offseason on getting set and staying in front of whoever I’m guarding. Getting used to the systems was helpful for me.”
Out of the four returning players, Rolison will likely play the most minutes. New assistant coach Jarod Lucas was on the same team as Rolison during the 2023-24 season. He was a senior, and Rolison was a freshman. Lucas remembers how, even as a freshman, Rolison was one of the more vocal players on the court.
“TR is a dog,” said Lucas. “I remember when we were teammates, Tyler was always running up and down the court, taking control of the offense and being a true point guard. I think Kenan (Blackshear) was helping Tyler out with some of the fundamentals and adjusting to the pace of college basketball. College basketball is a lot more physical and faster-paced than high school, and I believe Tyler has done a good job with adjusting to the game.”
With the 2025-26 season expected to be the last season of the current Mountain West with five teams (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State) leaving for the Pac-12 next year, it will be interesting to see which teams will come out on top in the conference. Rolison believes this season will be exciting for Wolf Pack fans and encourages them to come out to Lawlor Events Center and support the team.
“Let’s pack the seats at Lawlor for every game,” said Rolison. “You’re going to see a completely different team, and we are super excited to get to play in front of you guys. We will put on a show in every single game and hopefully come out with some Ws.”
