Fresno State Athletics
Men's Basketball Squad Topples No. 15 New Mexico
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
January 5, 1999
FRESNO, Calif. (AP)- Jerry Tarkanian got his 700th career coaching victory Monday night as Fresno State beat No. 15 New Mexico 86-80.
Tarkanian, who began the season with 688 victories, added one to that total when LSU's 1997 victory over Fresno State was forfeited when it was revealed the Tigers had used an ineligible player.
That meant that Tarkanian needed only 11 victories to become the 12th major-college coach to reach 700, and the Bulldogs (11-5) made it an especially sweet one by knocking off the Lobos (12-2) in a Western Athletic Conference opener. Tarkanian is 700-162, a winning percentage of 81.2 that ranks fourth in major-college history.
Chris Herren, who missed five games with a badly sprained right ankle, led several surges throughout the game and helped the Bulldogs stay in control down the stretch after the Lobos climbed back from a 12-point deficit.
Herron had nine assists as the Bulldogs played at full strength for the first time while the Lobos failed to survive a second straight game without Lamont Long, who is out with a left calf injury.
Fresno State was in control for most of the game, forcing 24 turnovers and leading by as much as 40-28 late in the first half.
Herron put the Bulldogs up for good with a slash to the basket that made it 81-80 with 1:16 left. Then, limping noticeably after a timeout with 47 seconds left, he milked the clock before finding Courtney Alexander for a 3-pointer with 18 seconds to go.
Herron, who had 10 assists, teamed up all night with Alexander, who led the Bulldogs with 26 points. Melvin Ely added 21 points and Terrance Roberson had 13.
John Robinson led New Mexico with 24 points and Kenny Thomas, who was plagued by early foul trouble and frustrated in the post for most of the game, finished with 17. Roland Hannah added 15.
Fresno State began to surge shortly after Herren came off the bench about four minutes into the game. He led a 14-6 spurt that gave the Bulldogs a 23-16 lead, then minutes later drew a critical second foul by Thomas.
With Thomas sitting out for the next four minutes, the Lobos fell further behind after switching to a zone that couldn't contain Fresno State.
