The saga of Nevada's all-time leading scorer and perhaps its most talented basketball team widened its appeal on the national stage this week with the release of a pair of feature articles in two of the country's most widely read publications.

In an issue reaching newsstands Jan. 10, Sports Illustrated magazine touted the accomplishments of 6-foot-11-inch forward Nick Fazekas and the Wolf Pack's now school record-tying 14-1 start to the 2006-07 season. On its Sunday, Jan. 7 college basketball page, The New York Times picked up an Associated Press article crediting Nevada and head coach Mark Fox for being well-prepared for the 16-game Western Athletic Conference schedule, which opened this week with Wolf Pack wins against Idaho and Boise State.

Sports Illustrated reporter Kelli Anderson detailed how Fazekas, a senior All-American from Arvada, Colo., displays his sense of humor and leadership to foster team unity. She recounts Fazekas' joking about the team members' ill-fated transactions for its "Nevada Shooters" NBA fantasy league team as well as the inspiration he has gained from both his 6-9 college-basketball-experienced father and a grandfather who survived imprisonment in a Soviet gulag and then the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

The Associated Press story examined the zeal that Fazekas and his teammates have for conference play, with their viewing it as "the most fun part of the season." On Nov. 18, Fazekas set the Nevada career men's basketball scoring record with his 1,878th point in a game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He leads the team in scoring with 20.3 points per game and 12.1 rebounds per contest.

Fazekas sprained his left ankle just before halftime in the Jan. 8 Boise State game at Lawlor Events Center. Fox said it was doubtful Fazekas would compete in a Jan. 11 game at San Jose State, but said it was possible he could play Jan. 13 at Hawaii.