Fresno State Athletics
Trend Homes Classic on Deck for Men's Basketball
12/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Dec. 20, 2000
This Week
The Bulldogs have a busy week, hosting three games, including two in the 22nd Annual Trend Homes Classic, Dec. 19-20, at Selland Arena. Fresno State hosts Louisiana-Lafayette, Samford and Toledo in the annual Holiday tournament. The Bulldogs will have two days off after the Trend Homes Classic to prepare for SEC foe Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m.
2000-01 Bulldog Bites
- Fresno State's 6-2 record matches the best start under Tark. If the Bulldogs beat Toledo, it would be the best start since the 1984-84 season. That year the 'Dogs were 25-8 after an 11-2 start to the season.
- The Bulldogs have won 20 or more games and qualified for the postseason in each of the last five seasons.
- Senior Melvin Ely led the WAC and ranked sixth in the NCAA in field goal percentage last season with .606 (180-207). He led the WAC and set a school record with 92 blocked shots, 16th best in the NCAA.
- Fresno State won the 2000 Hall of fame Tip Off Classic, defeating North Carolina State 83-62 on Nov. 22 in Springfield, Mass.
- Fresno State had the NCAA scoring leader Courtney Alexander (24.8 ppg) last season, the only WAC player to ever lead the NCAA in scoring. He was the 13th overall pick of the 2000 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic but was traded on draft day to Dallas.
- The 2000 Trend Homes Classic features three teams that were in the 2000 NCAA tournament: Fresno State (24-10), Louisiana Lafayette (25-8) and Samford (21-11). Toledo (18-10) completes one of the finest four-team tournament fields in the nation.
- Senior Demetrius Porter led the WAC and was 23rd in the NCAA in assists (6.24) and assist/turnover ratio (2.81) in 2000. He ranked in the WAC top 15 in every category except blocks, rebounds and free throw percentage.
- Fresno State hosted the inaugural Hispanic College Fund Tournament Nov. 17, 19 at Selland Arena. The Bulldogs lost in the championship game to St. Bonaventure 87-74. Chris Jefferies and Melvin Ely were selected the to the HCF Classic All-Tournament team.
- The Bulldogs are playing 18 regular season home games this season, most in school history.
- Fresno State was selected as the WAC champion by the media in the preseason poll. Sophomore transfer Chris Jefferies was selected the WAC Preseason Newcomer of the Year. Jefferies scored a college career-high 24 points at San Francisco on Dec. 2.
- Fresno State is being outrebounded by nearly six per game this season (42.8-36.9) and have outrebounded its opponent in only three games (St. Mary's, North Carolina State and UAB). FS ranks last in the WAC in rebound margin (-5.9).
- The Bulldogs have attempted 27 free throws or more in each of the last four games, including three games of 34 or more, but are shooting just .651 from the line. Fresno State has made at least 20 free throws in four straight games. The Bulldogs ranks last in the WAC in free thror percentage at .648.
- Fresno State has 41 more assists than its opponents this season (127-86).
- The Bulldogs are forcing opponents 23.1 turnovers per game.
- Melvin Ely has more blocked shots (22) than Fresno State's opponents (12) this season.
- Fresno State leads the WAC in blocked shots with 52, one more than TCU.
- Demetrius Porter ranked third in the WAC in steals at 2.0 per game.
- Jerry Tarkanian got his 950th win as a college coach vs. Santa Clara. That includes junior college and Division I wins.
Trend Homes Classic Teams
Toledo Rockets (6-1)
Head Coach: Stan Joplin
Overall Record/At School: 71-49 (5)/71-49 (5)
1999-00 Record: 18-13
Conference/Finish: Mid American/T-1st West
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Series: First Meeting
The Rockets, who received seven votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN Poll, are off to one of their best starts in recent. Toledo's only loss was to St. Bonaventure 84-76, a team that beat Fresno State on its home floor to capture the Hispanic College Fund Classic. Toledo is ranked No. 1 in the RPI rankings, having the toughest strength of schedule in the nation. They are 3-1 vs. teams that competed in the 2000 NCAA tournament, with wins over SE Missouri State, Auburn and Creighton. The Rockets have shared the MAC West Division title each of the last two years. Greg Stempin, a 6 foot 8 inch forward, leads the team in scoring at 19.3 points per game and rebounds at 7.2.The Rockets are among the nation's best three point field goal shooting teams, ranking 23rd in the nation at 41.7%.Terry Reynolds is averaging 17.7 points per game and has connected on 13-of 34 three point attempts. Nick Moore ranks 11th in the nation in three-point field goal pecentage, hitting 56% (14-25) of his attempts.
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (2-2)
Head Coach: Jesse Evans
Overall Record/At School: 58-40 (4)/58-40 (4)
1999-00 Record: 25-9
Conference/Finish: Sun Belt/13-3 First
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
Series: UL-Lafayette leads 2-1
The Ragin' Cajuns, who start five seniors, enter the Trend Homes Classic with a 2-2 overall record but have lost their last two games to Texas Tech 94-73 and at Auburn 93-86. Anthony Johnson, a 6-6 sophomore guard, leads the team in scoring at 20.7 points per game He scored 22 points against Auburn coming off the bench. Lonnie Thomas, a 6-8 forward, is averaging 18 points per game and shooting nearly 66% from the floor, ranking him seventh in the nation. UL-Lafayette is averaging 87.5 points per game, which ranks 12th in the nation and more than any other team in the tournament. The Ragin' Cajuns have not played a game since Dec. 4. This is the third appearance for the Ragin' Cajuns in the tournament. They finished third in the 1980 and 1989 Classic. UL-Lafayette was then-known at Southwestern Louisiana.
Samford Bulldogs (2-5)
Head Coach: Jimmy Tillette
Overall Record/At School: 62-33 (4)/62-33 (4)
1999-00 Record: 21-11
Conference/Finish: Trans America Athletic/12-6 (third)
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Series: Never Met
After a 21-10 record last season and invitation to the NCAA tournament, the Samford Bulldogs are off to a slow start this season, with just two wins in their first seven games. Head coach Jimmy Tillette is in his fourth season at the school. Samford, located in Birmingham, Ala., is a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference. Marc Salyers, the two-time TAAC Tournament MVP, and Derrick Jones are the top returning players for the Bulldogs. Samford competes in the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay tournament after the Trend Homes Classic, Dec. 29-30.
1999 Trend Homes Classic Recap
Fresno State won the 1999 Trend Homes Classic, marking the fourth consecutive year that the Bulldogs have won the tournament and the 11th time overall. Fresno State opened the Trend Homes Classic with a 95-73 win over Wagner and defeated Cornell 105-856 in the title game. Wagner defeated Norfolk State, Fresno State's Dec. 20 opponent, in the consolation game. Courtney Alexander was named the tournament MVP for the second consecutive year, making him the only two-time MVP of the Classic. Bulldogs Larry Abney and Terrance Roberson were named to the all-tournament team. It was the fourth concsective year that Roberson earned that honor. He is the only player ever to be a four-time all-tournament team selection. The rest of the all-tournament team included Cornell's Gary Barrett and Kieran Brown and Wagner's Jermaine Hall.
Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic Champions
Fresno State, competing in its first Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic, defeated North Carolina State 83-62 in Springfield, Mass. Fresno State will have a display in the Basketball Hall of Fame, including the team uniform, for winning the game. The Bulldogs are in elite company, joining the following schools as Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic Champions: Arizona (1989, '96,), UCLA (1991), DePaul (1980), Duke (1979, '88), Illinois (1984), Indiana (1999), Kansas (1998), Kentucky (1996), UMass (1994), Michigan (1985, '93), North Carolina (1987), North Carolina State (1983, '86) Purdue (1992), St. John's (1982), Villanova (1990), and Virginia (1981).
Maddox Makes Debut
Sophomore Tito Maddox has been declared ineligible by the NCAA for the first eight games of the 2000-01 season. He will be eligible for competition beginning Dec. 19 vs. Toledo in the first round of the Trend Homes Classic. Maddox, who has not played since the first exhibition game, was being withheld by the school pending an NCAA inquiry into a trip he took in late September. The NCAA ruled that his trip, which was funded by a friend, led him to meet with a resistered agent. The university appealed the penalty but that appeal was denied.
Raiders of the Lost Arc
Demetrius Porter, Fresno State's top three point shooter last season, has gotten off to a poor start, connecting on just 12-of-41 threes this season for .277 percent. Porter showed signes of breaking his slump connecting on 5-of-9 three vs. UAB, missing only one his his forst six shots. As as team, the Bulldogs are shooting .306 from the land of three, led by Travis DeManby (13-35, .371), Chris Jefferies (10-34, .294) and Dennis Nathan (5-17, .294).
The Moose Is Loose
Freshman Mustafa Al-Sayyad has easily been Fresno State's biggest surprise this season. Head coach Jerry Tarkanian never expected Al-Sayyad to have the type of impact he's had. He is averaging four points and three rebounds per game in his 11.5 minutes per game. He leads the team in field goal percentage .824 (14-17). His post defense has been excellent.
Bulldogs Picked to Win WAC
The 2000-01 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball media poll has tabbed Fresno State as this year's favorite for the second year in a row. Fresno State received 162 points but just four of 21 first-place votes. Tulsa, with 161 points, earned seven first-place votes and was picked second, followed by SMU with 154 points and nine first-place votes. TCU received 131 points to be picked fourth, followed by UTEP with 100 points, Hawai'i (80), San Jose State (71), Rice (48) and Nevada (38). Tulsa was picked to win the 2001 Williams WAC Tournament on 13 of the 21 ballots. This year's tournament will be played at Tulsa's Reynolds Center, March 6-10. Also picked were the preseason All-WAC team and the Player and Newcomer of the Year. SMU senior guard Jeryl Sasser earned Player of the Year honors on eight ballots while Fresno State sophomore guard/forward Chris Jefferies (a transfer from Arkansas) was picked as the Newcomer of the Year with 11 votes. The All-WAC team included Sasser, SMU senior guard/forward Willie Davis, Fresno State senior center Melvin Ely, UTEP senior forward Brandon Wolfram and Tulsa senior forward David Shelton. The following is the complete 2000-01 WAC men's basketball media poll with first-place votes in parentheses (points awarded on an 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis):
WAC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL1. Fresno State (4) 1622. Tulsa (7) 1613. SMU (9) 1544. TCU (1) 1315. UTEP 1006. Hawai'i 807. San Jose State 718. Rice 489. Nevada 38Jefferies Heats Up
Sophomore Chris Jefferies has taken over as Fresno State's leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points per game. He has scored a combined 63 points in the last three games connecting on 20 of 46 field goals. Jefferies has led the Bulldogs in scoring in five of the first seven games. He would be the first sophomore to lead the team in scoring since Jervis Cole in 1987 and would have the highest scoring average by a sophomore since Gary Alcorn's 21.4 average in 1957.
Welcome Back
Fresno native Chris Jefferies and Shannon Swillis are starting in the Bulldog line-up, but both players took different routes to get where they are today. Jefferies played for one season at Arkansas, where he started 21 game as a freshman, before returning home. Swillis spent three years at USC before coming back to play his senior season in his hometown. Jefferies leads the team in scoring, 17.3 points per game. Swillis is averaging 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, which is second on the team.
Honors Candidates
Both of Fresno State's returning starters will be worthy canidates for postseason awards. Center Melvin Ely was a consensus preseason All-WAC selection. Demetrius Porter also received a lot of preseason attention. Chris Jefferies has made an impact in his first season.
Melvin Ely, C, 6-10, 256, Senior, Harvey, Ill. (Thornton Township)
- Preseason All-WAC by Athlon's, Street and Smith's, Lindy's and The Sporting News
- No. 16 rated center in the nation by The Sporting News
- Rated the WAC's best defensive player by Lindy's and The Sporting News
- 2000 second-team All-WAC
- 1999 & 2000 All-WAC Defensive team
- School Record holder in blocked shots for season (92) and career (183)
- 2000 WAC leader (sixth in NCAA) in field goal percentage (.606, 180-207)
- 2000 WAC leader (16th in NCAA) in blocked shots (3.0)
- Fourth-best field goal percentage in WAC games in league history (.644, 87-135)
- Selected to the Hispanic College Fund Classic All-Tourmament team
- Selected the MVP of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic
Demetrius Porter, G, 6-0, 182, Senior, Fresno, Calif. (Washington Union)
- No. 19 rated point guard by The Sporting News
- First Team All-WAC by The Sporting News, Third team All-WAC by Lindy's
- Rated the WAC's best playmaker by The Sporting News and Lindy's
- 2000 WAC leader (23rd in NCAA) in assists (6.24)
- 2000 WAC leader in assist-turnover ratio (2.81)
- Ranked 23rd in NCAA in three point field goal percentage (.440, 85-193)
- Ranked in the WAC's top 15 in every category except blocks, rebounds and FT %
- 15th-best three point field goal percentage in WAC games in league history (.494, 42-85)
Chris Jefferies, F, 6-8, 220, Sophomore, Fresno, Calid. (Wash. Union/Arkansas)
- Preseason WAC Newcomer of the Year
- Fresno State's leading scorer (17.0 ppg)
- Selected to the Hispanic College Fund Classic All-Tournament team
- Led Fresno State in scoring in five of the first seven games, including three in a row
- Scored a career-high 24 points vs. San Francisco (Dec. 2)
Ely's Perfect Games
Melvin Ely had four games last season when he missed only one field goal or fewer, including two school record setting performance of 10-10 from the floor. He made 17 consecutive field goals over a three-game period. Here are his best shooting performances of the season:
Opponent (date) FG-FGA FG% PointsHigh Point (1/7/00) 10-10 1.000 21San Jose State (2/3/00) 10-10 1.000 22SW Missouri State (11/27/99) 10-11 .909 21Rice (2/6/00) 9-10 .900 20Hawai'i (3/10/00) 8-10 .800 22Cornell (12/22/99) 7-9 .778 14Game Time Change
Fresno State's game time vs. Norfolk State on Saturday, Dec. 30, has been moved to noon. The time change was made to accommodate Bulldog fans to attend the basketball game plus the Silicon Valley Football Classic, which is at 3:30 p.m. in San Jose on Dec. 31.
